Would Lebron still be this hated if....?

[telekenisis24]

Bron isn't even hated lol. Maybe by Cavs fans, but i mean comon.. .In most opinions, people feel it was stupid the way he handled his business, that's about the extent of the 'hate'. And yes even if he went to another team, the bad taste would still linger as it does with miami, the heat aren't the reason, dont feel special.

[doctorfunk]

He would definitely still be hated. If he stayed in Cleveland, people would atleast still respect him for being loyal to his team. But by teaming up with Wade & Bosh to form a super trio, he just lost the respect of so many people. He couldn't win a championship as the main guy, so he just took the easy road to a ring. I was never a big fan of Lebron, but I respected his skills and his desire to rally his team. That all went down the drain the second he chose Miami to be Robin.

this

People always forget about Bird, McHale and Perish....Magic, Kareem and Worthy....
but then they criticize LeBron for teaming up with Bosh and Wade.

Ehmmm because 4 of them here were drafted by their franchises? Only Parish&Kareem were traded for.
But the more important thing is was how badly it was handled by LeBron, he has only himself to blame.

[BadNFluenz]

well I think the hate is so strong mainly because HOW he made the decision and not for which team. I was already annoyed by his comments after every game when he was like: I'm staying/I'm leaving etc. (of course do I know that he was questioned that every game, but I think one could have handled it better). And then on top of all that this ESPN decision thing?

I mean really, I'm cool with him choosing the Heat to win some Championships, but why couldn't he just sign there and talk when the team introduces their new players like every other player?

[No Offense]

LeBron chose to add to Cleveland sporting misery and he didn't need to. The only reason that he did that was to glorify his own ego.

The Fumble
The Shot
The Drive
The Decision

That was not an accident. After all the support that we showed him, that is how he thanks us on his way out? On top of that, every time he has opened his mouth since leaving he has said nothing but idiotic things. Our owner hasn't been an angel in this situation, but LeBron has been a punk.

If you guys do not understand why people hate him, I truly feel sorry for you.

[Pablo Escobar]

People always forget about Bird, McHale and Perish....Magic, Kareem and Worthy....

but then they criticize LeBron for teaming up with Bosh and Wade.

And it's funny when people remember these teams when it benefits them lol Lebron goes to Miami now all of a sudden people bring it up

[SweetTouch]

If he stayed with CLE it meant he played just for $ and didn't have love for the game

[doctorfunk]

If he stayed with CLE it meant he played just for $ and didn't have love for the game

yea just like Reggie Miller leech black person sucked the money out of Indiana, while he didn't even try playing hard. Good that LeBron won't be remembered as a same disgrace as that guy.

[Cammo101]

If he stayed in Cleveland he would of regretted for the rest of his life ... staying in Cleveland was the compassionate decision but it wasn't the right one.

At the end of the day you will be judged on how many rings you got. Look at Iverson he treated his career like a popularity contest and now he's out of league...Allen Iverson is out of the league folks.

No, at the end of the day he will be judged as a guy who could not get it done on his own and made himself a role player to win rings. Kind of like Robert Horry.

LeBron could win 10 titles now and still not be able to catch the true greats, because as a superstar in his prime, he cried uncle and looked for the easiest situation to be dragged to titles.

[ImmortalD24]

LOL @ the thought of him going to the Chicago Bulls.. I know I'd hate him far far more. You think the Jordan comparisons against Kobe is bad? LeBron as a Bull would be endlessly belittled for his accomplishments not being on par with MJ.. every single missed clutch opportunity he'd face with the "MJ would've made that".. the pressure would be enourmous and would surely be GOAT potential suicide.

Michael Jordan reincarnated wouldn't even touch that. Thats how big the Jordan legend/myth has gotten. Like Bill Simmons said, Chicago is the sloppy seconds of NBA cities.

[OhMyBosh]

He wouldn’t be hated, but people would call him stupid for not taking the chance to leave when he could.

[OhMyBosh]

If he stayed in Cleveland he would of regretted for the rest of his life ... staying in Cleveland was the compassionate decision but it wasn't the right one.

At the end of the day you will be judged on how many rings you got. Look at Iverson he treated his career like a popularity contest and now he's out of league...Allen Iverson is out of the league folks.

No, at the end of the day he will be judged as a guy who could not get it done on his own and made himself a role player to win rings. Kind of like Robert Horry.

LeBron could win 10 titles now and still not be able to catch the true greats, because as a superstar in his prime, he cried uncle and looked for the easiest situation to be dragged to titles.

LeBron will never be a role player. Unless role players set up plays for others and take over stretches of games.

If LeBron wins a ring, he’ll have the biggest part in doing so. Don’t kid yourself.

[ImmortalD24]

I think outside of Cleveland.. New York is the city where most fans outside of cleveland/ chicago/ mia would mind least.. and even if they do hate.. so what? Theres 8+million people in the economic capital of the world, the "mecca" of basketball who'd suck him off. The NBA would be much better off financially with that move also.

[kapono24UCLA]

Because it doesnt actually make sense to compare those situations, just like comparing apples and oranges. They are different.

Lebron chose to go there, the others mentioned were compiled through trades and drafts - something that the teams general manager / front office does.
Im not bitter about lebron going to miami, just saying that there is no real comparison between the two in this sense..

So Miami's front office had nothing to do with this going down? No careful spending over many years, while still putting out a competitive team.

Does it really matter how the team was created though? They are models of success. Teams with 3 big time players surrounded by role players, competiting for championships on a yearly basis.

Does anybody think a professional athlete, who wants to win, would turn down the opportunity to create one of the best teams in NBA history? Just to stay home where 7 years has led to endless playoff trips with no real success, or to go a weaker team for extra $.

[ManualRam]

Because it doesnt actually make sense to compare those situations, just like comparing apples and oranges. They are different.

Lebron chose to go there, the others mentioned were compiled through trades and drafts - something that the teams general manager / front office does.
Im not bitter about lebron going to miami, just saying that there is no real comparison between the two in this sense..

Does anybody think a professional athlete, who wants to win, would turn down the opportunity to create one of the best teams in NBA history? Just to stay home where 7 years has led to endless playoff trips with no real success, or to go a weaker team for extra $.

not if that athlete was a high level competitor.

[Pimpwerx]

In this thread, baseless rationalizations for hatred of a sports figure. Once he wins a championship, none of this matters a single bit. Some will still hate, but they were just looking for justification for their pre-existing hatred.

If he stays in Cleveland, he's just a money-grubber who puts a paycheck ahead of winning.

If he goes to NYC, he's abandoning his team to get help from Amare.

If he goes to Chicago, he's abandoning his team to ape Michael Jordan in Chicago. He's also needing help from Boozer.

If Wade and Bosh join him in Chicago, Bulls fans would pull a 180. If he went with Wade to NYC, Knicks fans would be on cloud nine and declaring their irrelevance over. If the three team-up in NJ, they are money-grubbing, glory-hunters.

There's really not a way for him to have come out on the positive end of things. The backlash was coming because of the amount of attention ESPN and others were paying. I never follow basketball in the offseason, and even I was unable to ignore it.

When you think about it, there's nothing really wrong with how he announced his decision. He didn't insult Cleveland, and had nothing bad to say about the clear d-bag of an owner he left. He simply stated where he wanted to go. It was great expectations that lead to the negativity IMO.

It's ok though. He makes more than enough money, I'm sure he can handle being disliked for a year or so. PEACE.

[fishfuego.]

The best business decision would have been to sign in New York without "The Decision".

Miami (and deciding on TV) was certainly the best decision if he wanted to destroy his marketing imagine though.

It depends on how you look at business. This isn't about you and your outlook. It's not about me neither. For LeBron James, his business is winning a championship(s). Business isn't always financially driven, you know.... also, as far as his "marketing image" is concerned, I don't know how to break it to you but it hasn't been destroyed in the least bit.

Just because the majority of non Heat fans on RealGM hate the guy doesn't mean much at all. Products with his name included or associated with are still going to sell like crazy.

Exactly, this is not a case where he went a committed a crime to where organizations and endorsing companies would be closing doors on him like they've done to other athletes with real issues. One example, the Heat played in Kansas vs the Thunders and the ovation LeBron received was home like. The few here on this forum are under a false impression that this will affect him business wise, and they could not be any more wrong. The average person has no idea this little forum exist so the little negative vibe we think here that's huge, has and will not have single effect in the real world.

He will still be winning and consider the best or in the conversation. He will still donate to needed organizations. He will have and has such an impact in the game and outside the game, that it will absolutely leave no room for little hate going on in the small world of RealGM.

[SweetTouch]

If he stayed with CLE it meant he played just for $ and didn't have love for the game

yea just like Reggie Miller leech black person sucked the money out of Indiana, while he didn't even try playing hard. Good that LeBron won't be remembered as a same disgrace as that guy.

Exactly

[No Offense]

When you think about it, there's nothing really wrong with how he announced his decision. He didn't insult Cleveland, and had nothing bad to say about the clear d-bag of an owner he left. He simply stated where he wanted to go. It was great expectations that lead to the negativity IMO.

With all due respect, that might be the most asinine thing I've seen on here since LeBron left Cleveland. Try not being a homer and see if you still feel that way.

[doctorfunk]

If he stayed with CLE it meant he played just for $ and didn't have love for the game

yea just like Reggie Miller leech black person sucked the money out of Indiana, while he didn't even try playing hard. Good that LeBron won't be remembered as a same disgrace as that guy.

Exactly

[The Big Dog]

I would've respected him. He would have tried to win on his own with the team he was drafted on, to try to become a legend. To become the best ever.

Now he's just going to go down as a very talented player.