LEBRON TO CLEVELAND! (OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED)

[Gay Cowboy]

I actually agree with that. Miami just got blasted and it's obviously Wade is on his last leg. You have Cleveland that somehow got all those 1st round picks (obviously rigged) and now he gets to go back to a team with young talent that is about to trade for Kevin Love. It was an EASY decision that anyone would make. It's not like Cleveland has scrubs and Lebron is going back to help rebuild.

He's being praised as a saint for doing the exact same thing he did in 2010....

Ditching his team to go join up with superstars, & this time he's getting paid the maximum on top of it.

[Guest]

Wade has already been on rebuilding teams twice. No way he leaves Miami.

 

Well Miami have missed the play offs only once in the D-Wade era, and that season was the only one below .500. So he hasn't really been on a bad team in his career to date, however he could end up on one if he returns to Miami next season. LeBron has gone back to Cleveland, and Bosh by all accounts will head to Houston. So who is left on that team?

 

PG: Norris Cole / Shabazz Napier

SG: -

SF: Danny Granger

PF: Josh McRoberts

C: Justin Hamilton

 

That's not exactly a sparkling team for D-Wade to return to. He's no longer the D-Wade that can carry the Miami Heat on his back. For them to be competitive they will need to utilize the remainder of their cap space to bring in reinforcements, and while they should be able to attract some very good players, it is going to potentially mean overpaying players to put together a new roster that may or may not be anything more than a first round play off team. Let's say they put together the following roster:

 

PG: Chalmers / Cole / Napier 

SG: Wade / Nick Young

SF: Luol Deng / Granger / Beasley

PF: McRoberts / Haslem / Beasley

C: Greg Monroe / Anderson / Hamilton

 

This scenario is one in which Miami manages to bring back some of its free agents (Chalmers, Beasley, Haslem, and Anderson), while also hitting home runs on bringing in a fair priced back up SG in Young, a starting SF in Deng, and a potential star center in Monroe. For me, they'd get back to the play offs with that roster, but they probably wouldn't be a title contender. Does it have the upside to get better and become a force? I'm not convinced. I think they could end up putting themselves in that awkward position of not being good enough to contend for a championship, but not bad enough to get a franchise changing player in the draft or have the cap space to add one in free agency. 

Now if Miami decides to rebuild through the draft, then does D-Wade really want to spend his last few years as a productive starter on a team that will win 20 to 30 games? I'm not sure. Maybe he would see it as bridging the gap between the Wade era and the next era. That could appeal to him. He's got three rings. However, Wade is a competitive guy and wants to win. So I don't see him being happy on a team like we did for a couple of seasons. I see him wanting to compete and win games, and consequently, compete for a championship. So I think Wade could be tempted to move to a team that gives him the opportunity to win more rings. 

 

Also, if Miami are going to rebuild through the draft, then they have to ask themselves do they really want to bring back Wade? That might sound harsh, but if a team is going to bottom out like we did in 2011-12 and 2012-13, then having Wade on the roster is probably not the best idea. He might not be the guy to carry the team on his back to a title, but he is good enough and determined enough to help them win enough games to get to the 30 to 41 win range. If that happens then they can miss out on those special talents at the top of the draft unless they win the lottery.

 

So if Miami's aim is to rebuild through the draft, it might be in both their interests to part ways. That said, I think Wade does return to Miami and remains a one team guy. He's a Heat legend, and one of my favorite players. So it would be fitting for him to end his career there, and hopefully they can put together a competitive team. 

[Gay Cowboy]

Charlotte will wipe the floor with that proposed Miami team. Order restored.

[Zaximus]

If I was a FA and cared about things like winning/legacy I'm not sure I'd go to Miami and play in the wake of LB and Bosh leaving.  The expectations and the sourness from the city, is something I wouldn't want to deal with.

[Gay Cowboy]

Before anyone ever cared where I would play basketball, I was a kid from Northeast Ohio. It’s where I walked. It’s where I ran. It’s where I cried. It’s where I bled. It holds a special place in my heart. People there have seen me grow up. I sometimes feel like I’m their son. Their passion can be overwhelming. But it drives me. I want to give them hope when I can. I want to inspire them when I can. My relationship with Northeast Ohio is bigger than basketball.

Is that why you dumped them on national television four years ago, Bron Bron?

[Happy Panther]

http://www.funnyordie.com/articles/94ea39d871/chris-bosh-and-lebron-james-text-discussion-about-their-next-moves

[Matthias]

This has to be the worse case scenario for Heat fans.  Lebron going to Cleveland, Bosh going to Houston, and if I was Wade I would probably go home to Chicago.  All of the Big 3 will possibly be gone this up coming season.  Heat fans must be drowning in their sorrow right about now.  To go from the top of the league to the bottom of the basement in one off season.  Oh well.

[rscott94]

[Matthias]

It looks like Bosh will return to the Heat.  5 years 110+ million

[PandaPancake]

I heard LeBron just wants to party with Manziel.

Can Cleveland handle both those egos?

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[Wanderlai]

I'm shocked most Cavs fans would rather have Wiggins than Love. I'd make that trade in a sec if I was Cleveland. 

[teeray]

At least Heat organization handled this the right way, sending out a "thanks for the memories" picture. No angry letters by immature owners.

[Keith Moons Liver]

I'm shocked most Cavs fans would rather have Wiggins than Love. I'd make that trade in a sec if I was Cleveland. 

 

The wolves have no leverage. The warriors aren't even willing to give up Klay Thompson to get him. If the Cavs play their cards right they can have both Love and Wiggins. 

[PantherBoy95]

I'm shocked most Cavs fans would rather have Wiggins than Love. I'd make that trade in a sec if I was Cleveland. 

 

IDK that's one of those "win big now, or potentially win HUMONGOUSLY in the future" moves. 

 

You know what you'll get out of Love at this point, and that's a playoff berth at the very least...with Wiggins potential you could have Rings....or Michael Beasley.