Look, let's set this straight.
Yes, let's set things straight.
Here are the guys who played 50 games or more for Cleveland during LeBron's last year there.
Bron - 76 games
Shaq - 53 games
Zydrunas Ilgauskas - 64 games
JJ Hickson - 81 games
Anderson Varejao - 76 games
Delonte West - 60 games
Mo Williams - 68 games
Anthony Parker - 81 games
Jamario Moon - 61 games
Jawad Williams - 54 games
Daniel Gibson - 56 games
Here's the guys who played 50 games or more the year after LeBron left.
Daniel Gibson - 67 games
Joey Graham - 79 games
Manny Harris - 54 games
JJ Hickson - 80 games
Ryan Hollins - 70 games
Antwan Jamison - 56 games
Ramon Sessions - 81 games
Anthony Parker - 72 games
So, that team essentially lost Shaq, Varejao, Big Z and Delonte and replaced them with Ryan Hollins, Joey Graham, Manny Harris and Ramon Sessions. Even if Bron had stayed, they were going to win a LOT fewer games.
LeBron is NOT like KG. Cleveland consistently put competitive teams around LeBron and the main reason they didn't win a title that last year was LeBron quitting on them against Boston.
All the other excuses for LeBron are the real "hot garbage".
Mike
I Agree---I think the Cavs did Everything they could, to put talent around him----For some reason, there's this public perception---that they did Nothing---BS---He had plenty of talent--and just couldn't get by a Much Tougher team--in the KG era Celtics---THAT is why he Gave up--and Quit, to go play in Miami...People's memories are weak....Hell---if Shaq doesn't get hurt---The C's would have beaten him again---The Heat got ALL the Lucky Breaks, the past 4 years--and still only ended up with 2 Rings---Should have been ONE--!
I agree. The Cavs did put good talent around Lebron. They may have missed out on one or two moves for a player like Amare, but in retrospect maybe they were right, Amare fell apart. The major mistake they made though was keeping Mike Brown. If that Cavs team had a better coach they may has gotten by the celtics and won a banner or two.
You guys thinking that is good talent is hilarious. ONE player, ONE year, Lebron's entire time in Cleveland, outside of Lebron made an all star game. Not a single player made any of the All NBA or All NBA Defensive teams. Not a single one. His first year in Miami all of those were eclipsed by Wade and Bosh. In one year he had more talent than he had in his prior seven years combined.
The Cavs were a trainwreck during Lebron's tenure there, starting with the Carlos Boozer fiasco all the way through his seven year run. They wasted first round draft picks on guys like Luke Jackson. They traded first round picks for players like Jiri Welsh. Just disaster after disaster. And they were such a disaster that all of Lebron's pleading and begging to Chris Bosh, could not convince Bosh to go there (the Cavs and Raps had a sign and trade worked out all it needed was Bosh's approval).
The Cavs starting lineup from the team that made the NBA Finals was Lebron, Larry Hughes, Zydrunas Ilgauskus, Sasha Pavlovic, and Drew Gooden. Anderson Varejao, Boobie Gibson, Donyell Marshall, and Eric Snow were the rest of the rotation. That team without Lebron James wins 15 games if it is lucky and yet it was the best team in the Eastern Conference that year solely because of James.
Larry Hughes made all NBA defense 1st team one season. Drew Gooden has been in the league for 11 years. Zydrunas made two all star teams. Eric Snow made all defense 2nd team.
That you think those guys are garbage merely proves you don't really know basketball.
Mike
Big Z was an all star one year before James stepped foot on the court, so he had 04-05. I actually forgot Mo Williams made an all star game, so that is two all star seasons for James' teammates while in Cleveland.
Hughes was 1st team all defense in Washington, not Cleveland.
Snow was 2nd team all defense in Philadelphia and before James was even in the league.
I mean if you are going to count seasons for guys before they played with James, why not include Shaq and Jamison. They had a bunch of such seasons. Or maybe you can count guys like Boozer that went onto great success after leaving Cleveland.
And Drew Gooden has been in the league 12 years. I mean if you are going to make a point about him, you might as well get your information correct. Of course if you are relying on Drew Gooden to make a point about quality teammates, you know you are reaching. I mean Brian Scalabrine was in the league for 11 years, but no one would mention him as this quality teammate that Pierce had here in Boston.
Cleveland was a trainwreck when James was there. I can't believe anyone is actually arguing otherwise.