Defending LeBron

The Cavaliers didn’t position themselves very well to compete with all the teams who cleared out salary space for LeBron. The past few years showed LeBron would not be able to win a championship by himself. That’s nothing to be ashamed of, as everyone in recent memory had one or two other helpers.

Larry Bird: McCale, DJ, Parrish, Ainge

Kobe Bryant: Shaq, then Gasol and Odom

Tim Duncan: David Robinson, Tony Parker

Julius Erving: Barkley, Moses, Toney, Cheeks, Jones

Kevin Garnett: Ray Allen, Paul Pierce (& now Jermaine O’Neill).

Magic Johnson: Kareem, Worthy, Cooper, Scott

Michael Jordan: Pippen, Rodman, Kukoc

I haven’t heard many analysts mention how Chris Bosh played such a key role. He could’ve signed with unattractive Cleveland, but by signing with Miami, the Heat were suddenly the most attractive team to LeBron. James would’ve been in Jordan’s shadow in Chicago. The lack of talent, plus the New York press, made the Knicks unattractive. The Clippers are always in the Lakers’ shadow. That pretty well left the Heat.

While none of these players (save Garnett) had to pick another team, Cleveland’s inability to build beyond LeBron left James with no choice but to leave. To think James should stay merely out of loyalty was naïve. And LeBron can be “commended” for taking less than max money to join forces with Wade and Bosh.

LeBron was going to be bashed, regardless of his decision. People will dissect each comment, making each sentence stand alone. While James was probably given each question in advance, it’s hardly possible to word every answer free from dispute. He was a free agent, so what’s wrong with making whatever choice he wished? Had he to do it over again, I wonder if he wouldn’t make it such a circus. But he didn’t act alone.

A therapist friend of Colin Cowherd said that James was obviously a nurturer. His personality is different, softer than the driven Jordan, Kobe, or even Tiger. Perhaps that will mean he doesn’t run into some of the troubles those three got themselves into.