The more I think about it, the more I realize that LeBron's "decision" to come to Miami and the way he announced it was exactly the right move. The media criticized him saying that what he did was fine, but the way he did it was unprofessional. Players criticized him saying that they thought LeBron took the easy way out and was "more of a competitor." The owner of the Cavaliers wrote a ridiculous letter to the Cleveland community calling LeBron a coward, a curse, and a betrayer. Even Michael Jordan called out LeBron when he said that he wouldn't have joined Larry and Magic because he would rather beat them then join them. But what Jordan didn't consider was that he played in a different era, in a different game and a different league. Everything has changed in that past few years. That being said, all of these comments about LeBron's decision were extremely harsh considering LeBron didn't do anything wrong. Even if he had told the Cavaliers that he wasn't coming back, the Cavs still would never have even considered trading him going into the playoffs as a title contender, and if he would have done it any other way, he would not have raised any money for charity. Looking specifically at the trades that went down in the past two days, I think that LeBron did exactly the right thing.
Melo was traded along with Chauncey Billups, Williams, Carter, and Balkman from Denver to New York in exchange for Chandler, Felton, Gallinari, Mozkov, 3 draft picks and cash. Additionally, Randolph and Curry were shipped to Minnesota sending Brewer to New York. In total 12 players were dealt from one city to another with Carmelo Anthony as the center piece. This seems fine. Basketball is a business and this happens all the time. Players understand that this is a business, understand that they can be traded at any moment, and now it's time for the owners to understand the same thing.
Deron Williams was traded this morning and found out about this trade while watching SportsCenter, nearly the same way that the Cavaliers owner, Dan Gilbert, found out about LeBron's decision while watching TV. The only difference is that Gilbert knew LeBron was contemplating leaving and there was a good chance that LeBron would leave. Williams had no idea that he was going to get traded and he reportedly wasn't happy about it either. Players find out that they are changing teams and cities like this all the time. Owners don't always ask their players if they want to be traded or even tell their players that they are going to or have been traded. The one time a player decides to do the same to an owner, it is unprofessional and there is a huge uproar. LeBron was called unprofessional, a betrayer, a coward, a curse, uncompetitive, and many other things for doing the same thing that owners do to players and that players have done in the past. No one called out Garnett or Allen for joining Pierce in Boston creating a super team for years to come. No one called Shaq uncompetitive for leaving Orlando where he failed to win a championship, to join Kobe in Los Angeles or Wade in Miami. LeBron wasn't the first to do this and clearly he wasn't the last, so why all the hate?
The main reason the Melo trade really made me angry was because of what George Karl had to say about Chauncey Billups. "I think there are many people, including myself, that will be sad for Chauncey. I know he loves Denver and we love him." Chauncey didn't want to leave Denver. He loved Denver. I am sure that at least some of the other 10 players in the trade, excluding Melo, didn't want to leave their homes, families, and teams either. However, because 1 player, Melo, wanted to be in New York, he didn't care about anyone else. He did what he wanted to do and affected the lives of 11 other players and families directly, and then even more indirectly as the trade caused a ripple effect leading to more trades across the league. LeBron's decision only affected LeBron's life directly. He made it on his own and let other players make their decisions on their own. He didn't ask to get drafted by Cleveland, an organization that should have been happy to go from the #1 overall pick to a title contender for the time LeBron was there. Melo made a decision and used at least 11 other players as pawns in his scheme. Additionally, LeBron's decision raised over $2.5 million for a charity, the Boys and Girls Club of America. I can't even fathom how many lives that $2.5 million changed in a positive way. Melo's decision didn't raise money for anybody, but it did change the lives of at least 11 players forcing them to leave their homes and their families to go to new teams perhaps against their will.
Ultimately, LeBron and Melo made similar decisions. The only difference was that LeBron raised $2.5 million for a charity and didn't force other players to leave their homes and follow him. Melo did allow the Nuggets time to trade and build for the future more so than LeBron, but I doubt that Cavs would have traded LeBron anyway, and even if they did, they would still be at the bottom of the East. Yet, LeBron is seen as a villain, a betrayer, unprofessional, and uncompetitive. I don't buy it, and I don't agree with it. For better or worse, the game has changed. Now, a select few superstar players control the fate of themselves, their franchises, their teammates, and their cities, while all other players are just pawns used to let these superstars get what they want. Teams realize that they'd rather get something in return for their players, then take the chance on getting nothing for them in free agency. Utah traded Williams in fear that they would lose him and get nothing in return over a year before his contract is expected to expire. It gradually started with Shaq, the most dominant player of his time, changing teams in his prime, then continued with Garnett and Allen to Boston, and was completed with LeBron and Bosh joining Wade in Miami. LeBron's decision opened the flood gates and made it okay for other superstars to leave the teams they happened to be drafted by in favor of teams that they prefer to play for. The league looks like a fantasy league, and some owners are upset that some players have any type of control of their destiny. This may continue, or it may change starting with a lockout this summer, but either way the power has shifted and the game will never be the same.
You make a great point by comparing Lebron's actions to an owners, and recognizing that like an owner, he didn't feel the need to inform those around him that he was leaving. I haven't heard that perspective, and I like it. However, to say that Lebron's decision "only affected lebron" is absurd. Look at the Cav's now - one of the worst teams in sports history, and what's the difference between them this year and last year? Lebron. He wasn't called a unloyal and other things, some more fair than others, for chasing a championship, but for celebrating the fact that he was leaving what other people perceived to be his home. This is not the same as Deron Williams because he was an employee of the Nuggets. Firms don't have to give you two weeks notice when they are going to fire you (which he wasn't - far from it), but it is common courtesy to put in two weeks notice when you are quitting.
ReplyDeleteAlso - labeling this "Melo's decision" and saying that the donation to charity is the "only difference" is ridiculous. Melo didn't use the other players as pawns; he is not the owner. If is was up to him, I'm sure he would have just signed with New York and allowed Chauncey and friends to go on their merry way. Furthermore, the donation - Lebron could have thought of dozens of other ways to have money donated to his cause, he could hold a camp there, call for donations from his NBA cohorts, or donate the money his damn self. OR! he could have still held the conference about where he was going there, and issued a statement previous to that to his team and his fans stating why he was leaving instead of doing it like an asshole.
In summary, Lebron got torn up because he is an asshole, not because he wants to win. Yes, even if he had done it differently, fans would have hated him, but not like that.
I had more to say, but this took long enough as is. And no, I will not be going over my Rubes Rant rant and editing it.
Wes out.
Good points. I like where your head is at.
ReplyDeleteBut what I meant about directly affecting the lives of other players was that LeBron let every other player decide what they wanted to do, and then he decided what he wanted to do. No players went to other teams unwillingly, like in Melo's trade. Melo let the Nuggets do what was best for them, and let the owners make a decision based on his demand. LeBron took the power away from the owner, and made a decision for himself. That's why the owner got so upset. He did not take the Cavs into account, but he didn't owe anything to the Cavs. He took them from irrelevant to relevant and gave them 6 great seasons. They promised to build around him, and they clearly failed as they are back to where they were when they started with LeBron, the worst in the league. If they wanted to keep LeBron, they would have given him a supporting cast. Clearly, they failed and he made the logical decision to leave.
Melo told the Nuggets, I am going to play in New York next year. Either you can trade me, or you can watch me sign with them in the off season. And that is respectable. But in so doing, he determined the fate of where other players on NY and Denver were going to live and play next year. It wasn't a great argument, but when I saw how sad George Karl was for Billups having to leave, I decided to throw it in there. I have a soft spot for George Karl and am a huge Billups fan.
And it's not every day that you have the opportunity to raise $2.5 million for a charity in one night. That's a lot of money. It will take me years to make enough to give $2.5 million to charity and he did it in one night. I also have a soft spot for giving back to the community. Sure he could have donated it himself, issued statements, etc., but no one else does that. I guess we just expect more from LeBron than other players and owners because he is bigger than them and the game.