Jordan speaks on LeBron going to Miami.

[CelticWes34]

From ESPN.com....

Definiely an interesting read. I especially liked the following part:

"There's no way, with hindsight, I would've ever called up Larry, called up Magic and said, 'Hey, look, let's get together and play on one team,' " Jordan said after playing in a celebrity golf tournament in Nevada. "But that's ... things are different. I can't say that's a bad thing. It's an opportunity these kids have today. In all honesty, I was trying to beat those guys."

What do you guys think about Jordan's comments? I tend to agree with him very much so.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5391478

[the_Bird]

That's the most surprising part of this whole saga.  I've been saying all along (incorrectly) that LeBron would never partner up with Wade, because while he wants to win I though he wanted to win on his own terms, i.e. as clearly THE MAN on a championship team.

Not sure what this means.  Are LeBron & Co. less intensely competitive that their predecessors?  Or, are they just creating themselves what Red created for Larry (McHale and Parrish as teammates, along with guys like DJ and Ainge and Walton)? 

I don't know.  Always figures that players needed to get into their 30s, start tasting their own mortality, before they'd start teaming up like this.

[Roy Hobbs]

It's hard to say what anybody would have done, but I just can't imagine a struggling Larry Bird following Magic to the Lakers, or a titleless Jordan deciding to join the Rockets to try to win a championship. 

I don't think any of those guys could have dealt with being a co-equal to chase a ring; all of them had the competitive drive to be "the man", even alongside great teammates.  I mean, Kevin McHale goes for 56 points to set the team scoring record, and Larry tops that 9 days later by scoring 60.  These weren't guys who could accept being second best.

I understand Lebron's decision.  He's making a ton of money, playing in a great city alongside guys he considers good friends, for an organization that he respects.  However, I do think he's damaged his legacy a bit.  He'll always be seen as a great player, but I don't think he'll ever reach the Michael/Magic/Larry upper echelon.  I don't think Lebron will ever surpass Larry as the best SF of all time, and he won't supplant Kobe as the best player of the post-2000 era.  He had a chance to do both, but I think that's gone now.

[the_Bird]

The most interesting comparison is Kobe.  Kobe was considered by many to be an idiot and an **** for pushing Shaq out of town (assuming that's the crux of what really happened), but you kind of understood why things happened the way that they did.  Jordan never pushed Pippen out of his way, but Pippen knew what his role was.  Same with Pau and Kobe; Pau's one of the best big men in the game, a guy with Hall of Fame talent, but he *knows* his place on the Lakers squad.

We'll have to see how LeBron and Wade co-exist (I'd be shocked if "Lapdog" Bosh is an issue).  All teams, even great teams, go through periodic struggles.  See how they react to a three-game losing streak, if SOMEBODY starts trying to dominate.  See how they react when Perk and KG start hitting people in the mouth.  See how they react when a bit player like Chalmers jacks up an ill-advised shot at a critical moment.

Crap happens over the course of 82+games.  We won't know whether having two alpha dogs is possible until then. 

[Assassin70]

Jordan is entitled to his opinion just like we are entitled to our own.

In hindsight...Lebron might feel the same way when it is all said and done.

The results aren't in yet and wont be for many, many, more years to come.

Lets say just for the sake of this discussion the Heat win 5 straight titles during the time they are together.  


Or scenario 2 they win 6-8 titles in 10 years when they are together.

I would also say that would be a tremendous success.

Now if they only win 0-2 titles in 10 years...that would be a huge failure in most eyes.

I think the only valid talk out of all this is because of this move no matter how many titles the Nazgul win none of them can be considered the greatest player of all time.

That only matters to the egomaniac or the super competitive person.  We found out from his actions this summer that to a certain degree Lebron is not one of those guys.

I myself would rather be part of the greatest team of all time debate then greatest individual.  And if the Heat start rolling off 6+ championships they can lead that discussion when reporters come up to them, when they are retired on the golf course.

To be honest with you all, as Celtics fan's we know best...the only thing that matters is winning.

We don't care about stats and all time individual records.  And even though I may not like the way he did it...I have to give it to Lebron to put winning above all else.

[jdpapa3]

It's a tough call because Larry and Magic won extremely early in their careers. Lebron's been saddled with subpar help with no real indication that Cleveland's roster could improve. Michael did not so you probably have to agree with him because he stuck in his Chicago situation (not sure what the deal was with free agency stuff at that time).

[Redz]

The proof will be in the pudding.

Maybe these guys do put together a dynasty and do it by playing a brand of basketball that is not only effective, but enjoyable to watch. 

Maybe they'll just be chumps.

Who knows?

[RAcker]

It's hard to say what anybody would have done, but I just can't imagine a struggling Larry Bird following Magic to the Lakers, or a titleless Jordan deciding to join the Rockets to try to win a championship.  

I don't think any of those guys could have dealt with being a co-equal to chase a ring; all of them had the competitive drive to be "the man", even alongside great teammates.  I mean, Kevin McHale goes for 56 points to set the team scoring record, and Larry tops that 9 days later by scoring 60.  These weren't guys who could accept being second best.

I understand Lebron's decision.  He's making a ton of money, playing in a great city alongside guys he considers good friends, for an organization that he respects.  However, I do think he's damaged his legacy a bit.  He'll always be seen as a great player, but I don't think he'll ever reach the Michael/Magic/Larry upper echelon.  I don't think Lebron will ever surpass Larry as the best SF of all time, and he won't supplant Kobe as the best player of the post-2000 era.  He had a chance to do both, but I think that's gone now.

I agree completely.  Well said and TP.  

Basically, LeCrabs threw a lot out the window in order to have a shot with the Heat.

[TheBig3]

The proof will be in the pudding.

Maybe these guys do put together a dynasty and do it by playing a brand of basketball that is not only effective, but enjoyable to watch. 

Maybe they'll just be chumps.

Who knows?

I don't think they will, you know other teams are looking at creating their own Big 3, so the window of opportunity for these 3 clowns is shorter than one would think. Do people really think that some of the other teams won't step it up next year to matchup with them? And the odds are good that at least one of them goes down with an injury during the next 6 years.....just life in the nba....

[Celtics4ever]

Wade carried the Heat to the title already.  We know he can do it. 

LeBron and Bosh are coat tail riding wussies hoping Wade can help them win one.  Anyone who thinks different is total blind LeBron fan.  He should not be mentioned in the same vien as the greats but rather the tier of Dominique Wilkins.

His will to win amounts to hoping his bud can win it for him.

[moiso]

I know I lost a lot of repect for Lebron after this fiasco.  I agree with the whole damaged legacy thing.  And I don't like the trend it might set in the future.  We might have a handful of great teams and a whole bunch of bad ones if all the great players decide to be GM's and join the same teams.

[celticfan10]

One thing that I have not seen anyone mention is how does this affect D-Wade?

He stays with "his" team, but with him and Lebron teaming up everyone has been getting on Lebron a lot about his competitiveness as an individual, but does any of this affect Wade with negatively the way everyone has been going at Lebron negatively?

Just wondering thoughts.

[FallGuy]

I think Lebron decided he wasn't good enough to do it alone. That's fair - no one is.

And given Cleveland isn't in a position to add a second star (like Bosh, who LBJ tried to recruit), it made sense to leave.

It probably hurts his legacy - as of right now - but multiple titles can change things.

[moiso]

I think Lebron decided he wasn't good enough to do it alone. That's fair - no one is.

And given Cleveland isn't in a position to add a second star (like Bosh, who LBJ tried to recruit), it made sense to leave.

It probably hurts his legacy - as of right now - but multiple titles can change things.

They could have probably signed Boozer instead of Bosh and that would have improved them enough to possibly win a title.  They were already good enough to be in contention.

[moiso]

Well, maybe Boozer burned those bridges, but how about Al Jefferson.  They weren't far off in terms of competing for a title.