jagz wrote:DWadeno3 wrote:Only the stupid will let the Wade case legitimize LeBron's actions because the content of either case differs.
Ultimately there is no victor in said war because neither of the above mentioned players has had an impact for the Cavs. The reason Cleveland is so good is due to the NBA helping them in the time of LeBron's absence.
Memories fade, and the world is inclined to give LeBron the benefit of the doubt on everything anyway. He may very well end up perceived as the GOAT because he's been graded on a MASSIVE curve ever since he came on the scene (the 2011 Finals should have permanently destroyed that notion, and James has several other significant playoff failures too; MJ had none.)
Even when Miami was mildly snarky after LeBron (as opposed to Cleveland, who torched their city), they were called salty. Now with the one-two punch of him becoming a champion again and Wade leaving also in part because of a rift with Riley, Riley has been cast as the villain across the board. The Bosh rift is just the cherry on top. A narrative is building against Riley, at least among fans online, and, honestly, it's largely deserved.
Everything about this franchise that made it special is gone. This team was one game away from the conference finals last year! Now it will be in the lottery for years (without a first round pick in three of the next five), and its reputation has taken a huge hit among free agents.
I predict that Whiteside is going to end up looking like a massive overpay simply because there's no one who will keep him in check once the Heat start losing. Is Haslem gonna do it from the bench? Goran, when he may be gone before the break?
I could actually see the Heat's big free big free agent acquisition next summer being, wait for it.... Dwyane Wade (if he doesn't like life with the Bulls and considering there's no obtainable game-changing FAs anyway). That business move would be par for the course of late for an organization that could have had Wade for 15 M per year through 2018 if they'd just given him what he wanted in 2015
There are those who are fans of LeBron and those who have always hated Miami and they will always be against us no matter what because they're emotionally invested. Those people's opinion is irrelevant because they will never view the Heat in a positive light. Those are also the people who just waited to call us salty because we called the Cavs fans salty back in 2010 when LeBron left them. Due to their lack of objectivity, their opinions don't matter and hardly represent that of the majority.
Those who are rational and not emotionally attached don't blame Riley for anything in the LeBron case and view LeBron for what he is, a talented basketball player and a selfish narcissist who disrespected the organization on his way out.
Again, only the daft will mix the cases of LeBron, Bosh and Wade. Bosh is not medically cleared to play, neither by Heat doctors, nor by league doctors. Pretty much everybody agrees that he should no longer play due to the risk for his life. Nobody in their right mind blames Riley for refusing to play him.
The only case where Riley was wrong was Wade and he acknowledged it afterwards. Riley was too arrogant and perhaps desperate (due to his age) to form one last contender before he sails off into the sunset and disrespected Wade himself. That, however, doesn't vindicate LeBron in any way because they're two seperate instances.
Hence, your judgement on the criticism of Riley being largely deserved is baffling.
This organization is going through a rough time, as any organization does, but we're hardly losing our identity. Everybody knew that once Wade left/retired, we would have to create a new foundation and that will simply take some time.
