Minnesota Sports Forum

SameOldNudityDrew wrote:I get some of the criticisms of LeBron. The way he left Cleveland was shitty. And I hate the way he has called out teammates at times through the media, especially in that passive aggressive way he's known for.

But beyond that, I think he kind of gets a bad rap.

The decision to go to Miami did set an unfortunate precedent for creating a superteam, but players are free to do that and the decision wasn't only to try to win but also to play with one of his closest friends. Would anybody here criticize a co-worker for taking a job with another company because it would be a better company and they could work with a friend?

When he went back to Cleveland, that was arguably one of the more admirable decisions in the free agency era. Cleveland still sucked, and Miami was easily poised to make another run at the finals. I'm pretty sure there couldn't have been predication on the Cavs getting Love or anybody else because LeBron announced his decision without even talking to Cleveland and before the Love trade. And he chose to return to a team whose owner had insulted him publicly, which shows he was willing to be the bigger person. And the bottom line was he chose to return to a crappy team in order to win a championship for a city that hadn't won one in decades--and he did it. It's pretty tough to question a guy's commitment to fans if they do that. Seriously, it's almost so sappy if you pitched it as a story before it happened, people might not believe it.

Then when he went to the Lakers, the Lakers were a pretty bad team and they didn't acquire any other stars when LeBron joined, and it was widely and credibly reported that he went there because after taking his family back to Cleveland, he'd promised his wife he'd go wherever she wanted next, and she picked L.A. So that's a dude making a career decision that puts his family first. We have a stereotype of the Lakers as an organization, a stereotype fed by the Pat Riley era, but that team was weak when he joined.

As far as we know, LeBron has never requested a trade or told a team he wouldn't re-sign with them to force one, even though that's basically become commonplace during this era.

As for the comparison to MJ, Kobe, and Magic regarding staying with the same franchise--MJ and Magic played in a completely different time in terms of free agency. Basically no stars left their teams in those years, while almost all stars leave their teams these days, so I'm not sure it's fair to view LeBron critically in comparison to MJ and Magic. Also, if we're going to criticize LeBron for his relationships with teammates, uhhhh . . . did you watch The Last Dance?? MJ was a borderline abusive psychopath to his teammates. (Also, Krause showed little loyalty to any of his players, and they returned the favor). As for Kobe's loyalty, he actually did publicly request a trade. Also, if we're going to root against LeBron for his free agency decisions, even though he never forced a trade, why is he drawing the criticism before the Clippers (Kawhi and PG), Dallas (KP), Miami (Butler), or Brooklyn (Irving and Harden). I'm all for criticizing the Lakers for AD, but it's weird that LeBron gets the flak. And before criticizing LeBron, shouldn't we lay into the Sixers for tanking for years?

I'm not some sort of LeBron apologist. He's not my favorite player. I think he's earned criticism with the way he left Cleveland and the way he's called out teammates publicly in the past. But I'm not sure the other reasons people often cite for disliking him are supported by facts as much as they are built around a stereotype of the Lakers, our perspective as fans of a small-market team that has lost stars (we all remember Love forcing his way out), and a general dislike of the free agency era for which LeBron has become a symbol even though he's never really made the kinds of trade demands we associate with the worst cases.

Not trying to start an argument or anything. You guys make fair points and I respect you all. But personally, I don't think LeBron deserves some of the criticism he's getting here.

lipoli390 wrote:Drew -

I've always hated the Lakers because they're the Lakers. They've always been the big gorilla with a Hollywood glitz that, combined with their storied history and LA weather, gives them a huge advantage over every other team (except perhaps Miami) in attracting elite players. And it's not just marque free agents like LeBron, it's also draft prospects like Kobe whose agent maneuvers his client to get drafted by the Lakers and trade prospects like AD. Rooting against the Lakers is the flip side of rooting for the underdog.

As for LeBron. I appreciate his great talent and achievements. I disliked him when he left Cleveland for Miami. In that instance it was the fact he left but also the way he left. He significantly redeemed himself when it went back to Cleveland, but even then his return was predicated on the Cavs getting players like Kevin Love to join him. Then he ended up seeking the glitz and glory of the Lakers to close out his career. Good for him, but his mercenary approach to the game diminishes him in my eyes. And that's why I don't put him on the same plain as MJ or past Lakers like Kobe and Magic. Those three stayed with the teams that drafted them through early lean years in MJ's case and even as personnel changed around them. Their franchises were loyal to them and they returned that loyalty. They didn't go searching for championships, sunshine or glitz in other places, but instead fought to bring championships to the teams they started with and the fans who supported them.

I like the way LeBron plays the game and respect his incredibly talent. But I don't like his mercenary self-centered approach. He's aloof and doesn't bond with organizations, teammates or fans. And now he's with the Lakers. What's not to hate? :)