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This is going to be written, not in paragraphs, but in short bullet style points as I fire off the events throughout the timeline and why I think LeBron left Miami. I believe I have a very good nose for this sort of stuff, and I noticed these clues back then, and mentioned it to friends and family, but nobody thought it was a big deal.

I believe the reason LeBron James left Miami, is because he did not feel the "family" atmosphere that he was sold in 2010. I am not saying that the Heat treated him poorly. I am simply saying, that there is Real World and then there is LeBron World. Pat may have thought everything was fine, but that's for Real World. You have to think in terms of LeBron.

I will list the clues I remember, that point directly to this decision by LeBron James to leave Miami :

- During the 2011 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals between Miami and Boston, the Heat defeated the Celtics in 5 games I believe it was. During the seconds after the timer expired and the series was over, Dwyane Wade leaped towards the basketball and fell backwards into the stands where the fans are. The cameras caught this moment. He fell to the floor hard. I don't know how many of you remember this. LeBron then helped Wade up off the ground, and made a comment to the reporters in his interview about the situation : "We have to protect the Franchise". PAUSE. That right there. I have the video of it on my computer. LeBron calling Wade the Franchise. When I heard it, I immediately knew there was something there. Pat Riley was treating Wade like the centerpiece, like the beloved son, and LeBron James was not being given that same love. The rules were not being bent for LeBron like they were for Wade. One of the Big 3 was being treated differently. LeBron obviously felt this, and began to be open about it in joking fashion - but there was something deeper there. LeBron wants to feel like he's the franchise too.

- In the next round, after the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals vs the Chicago Bulls, during the ECF Trophy presentation, the Heat were accepting the trophy. LeBron James was all the way in the back of the crowd. Literally, all the way in the back of every Heat player. While Dwyane Wade was smiling, standing next to Pat Riley front and center, in front of the cameras. The Heat received the trophy, and Wade was the team Ambassador. Pat Riley didn't even look around for LeBron. When I saw that, I remember calling into my local radio station with Zaslow and mentioning it. I thought Pat should have stopped, looked around, and made a point of grabbing Chris Bosh and LeBron James to stand there too. I would even go as far as saying that LeBron may have intentionally stood all the way in the back to see if Pat Riley would even care. You might think this is a silly point. But I don't. Because this is not Real World. This is LeBron World. And in LeBron World, you better show him a lot of love and attention. LeBron was hurt. He was sold this "Family" atmosphere in 2010, and here you are. Watching Pat Riley love Dwyane, and not you. You're not the coddled Franchise player anymore like you were in Cleveland. They (Pat and the Heat) don't even care that LeBron James is nowhere to be found during the awards.

- You see, I think 2010-2011 was a shock to LeBron. And then after that, LeBron just accepted it and was counting down the days until he leaves Miami. He was sold a bill of goods but he wasn't feeling the Family. Wade is, but not him.

- This carried over into the 2013-2014 season. Dwyane Wade was on a maintenance program. Taking many games off, while LeBron was out there trying to win. LeBron openly commented on this situation during the season, several times. Sometimes he seemed annoyed about it. Frustration. LeBron may have thought that the Heat are running him into the ground and they don't care about his body, but Wade? Let's coddle him and rest him. The Heat would not even inform LeBron of when Wade was going to be sitting sometimes. This would obviously feed into LeBron's mind. Wade is the Franchise. I am not. This is not my home. This is not my family.

- So, LeBron feels he just wants to go Home. LeBron James might think - "At least there, I was the center of Cleveland's world. The Cavaliers will bend over backwards for me. Pat wouldn't. The Cavaliers would make me feel better. I won't feel like I'm being used. Whatever I want, I will get there."

This decision was not a basketball one. If the Miami Heat had 3-peated, LeBron James would still go to the Cavaliers. This was about how he felt, his happiness, feeling like Home. The Heat did not make him feel that way, and there was a bit of disappointment with how Wade was treated compared to him.

I don't want to blame Pat. I love Pat. But he had a hand in this, not because Pat did something wrong - but because Pat Riley failed to understand how to treat someone that has been the center of the sports world's attention since he was 17 years old.

I think you are reaching a bit strength but I do agree with you some of the family aspect but more towards his entourage not getting control like they did in Cleveland

I mean its been reported by woj and Stephen a his camp was unhappy with the heats unwillingness to budge on that aspect

Also Dan gilbert is a two faced rat that basically lubed up his you know what and let lebron slide right in. Lebron wanted back in Cleveland on one condition. Gilbert publicly apologize and he did and give him control. From here on out lebron runs that team. The minute he gets fed up with waiters demanding the ball or the coach not being good enough they will be gone

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Stephen A Smith basically said the same stuff just now on Lebatard.

In 2010, everyone dismissed the Heat as contenders for LeBron for this very reason. In the end, when he signed, everyone thought he just didn't care about it being Wade's city and Wade's team and just wanted to win. Guess he actually did care quite a bit.

beasknees wrote:Stephen A Smith basically said the same stuff just now on Lebatard.

In 2010, everyone dismissed the Heat as contenders for LeBron for this very reason. In the end, when he signed, everyone thought he just didn't care about it being Wade's city and Wade's team and just wanted to win. Guess he actually did care quite a bit.

Yup. I remember all the clues back then and I caught them and I thought that we were going to annoy LeBron.

LeBron is not a normal person like you and me. This is a guy who has been the center of attention since he was a teenager.

I am not sure, because if LeBron can forgive his owner, doing him dirty. I mean LeBron might hold a grudge, yes, he might have thought Wade was getting pampered, which I am sure annoyed him, but if we win a title, everything is forgotten.

I think really it was how horrible we played in these last finals.
He probably thinks this team can't beat the Spurs next year, by the fact LeBron says he still far away from winning with Cavs. I think he is aiming to win it in a couple of years. Once Spurs are absolutely done. Which he probably no longer wanted the pressure of having to win it every year, he will have the media kissing his ass through the honey moon and doesn't have to win it now every year, but if this decision flops in the long haul, they will go back to ridiculing him.

Though I think there were many things that came into play, but I think how badly we got destroyed in the finals got him shook.

there is the point...

in 2010, lebron probably would have listened to likes of riley/wade ...because riley/wade were winners he wasnt..

after winning 2 rings, that attitude probably changed...

now in cleveland, he is calling all the shots... who to sign, what to trade, how to play etc...

I refuse to believe this goes back to 2011. You're basically fast forwarding 3 years. Nothing "carries over" for 3+ years, apparently not even a dan gilbert rant.

The opt out clause after 4 years was first foreshadow. But it is what it is, easy to write stories after you know the ending.

Exactly Tony. A grown man played out his contract and chose what was best for him and his family. That is it!!!

Tony Fiorentino wrote:I refuse to believe this goes back to 2011. You're basically fast forwarding 3 years. Nothing "carries over" for 3+ years, apparently not even a dan gilbert rant.

Well, it carries over. This was a culmination of LeBron James feeling unhappy. If the Heat had done a better job of making him feel like family, I think he would have stayed.

LOL you're reaching hard bro.. He stood at the back of the ECF presentation because he didn't give a **** about it, he wanted a championship

StrengthNHonor wrote:

Tony Fiorentino wrote:I refuse to believe this goes back to 2011. You're basically fast forwarding 3 years. Nothing "carries over" for 3+ years, apparently not even a dan gilbert rant.

Well, it carries over. This was a culmination of LeBron James feeling unhappy. If the Heat had done a better job of making him feel like family, I think he would have stayed.

Now there I disagree. Really wouldn't matter what the Heat did to pamper to him or whatever. It would never be his team or his city.

I think LeBron simply resents and is jealous that Wade did not have leave Miami to win and will likely never leave Miami. So much so that LeBron could not bear to be here any longer. And he's been feeling that way for a while, according to SAS.

StrengthNHonor wrote:

Tony Fiorentino wrote:I refuse to believe this goes back to 2011. You're basically fast forwarding 3 years. Nothing "carries over" for 3+ years, apparently not even a dan gilbert rant.

Well, it carries over. This was a culmination of LeBron James feeling unhappy. If the Heat had done a better job of making him feel like family, I think he would have stayed.

But why did he leave Cleveland then, if they treated him and his entourage so well in the first place.
I think that was a factor, but not the main factor. I think he really doesn't want the pressure, of winning it every year.
He put that pressure when he said, not one, not two, not three,....

But once he saw, that it might not be as easy as he thought, he lowered the bar, and now he is just okay with one title Cleveland.

StrengthNHonor wrote:

Tony Fiorentino wrote:I refuse to believe this goes back to 2011. You're basically fast forwarding 3 years. Nothing "carries over" for 3+ years, apparently not even a dan gilbert rant.

Well, it carries over. This was a culmination of LeBron James feeling unhappy. If the Heat had done a better job of making him feel like family, I think he would have stayed.[/quote]

I'm sure Pat and the Heat organization did everything they should have to secure him and make him feel welcomed and appreciated. But there's no place like home when it comes to feeling appreciated, and LeBron isn't necessarily the most psychologically normal individual. He prefers, maybe even needs, that hometown adulation of being the center of attention. He knows he could've got it anywhere, but losing the acclaim at home is what drove him back, not the actions of the organization.

so what, op? you gonna call dibs on calling it?

CoolD wrote:

StrengthNHonor wrote:

Tony Fiorentino wrote:I refuse to believe this goes back to 2011. You're basically fast forwarding 3 years. Nothing "carries over" for 3+ years, apparently not even a dan gilbert rant.

Well, it carries over. This was a culmination of LeBron James feeling unhappy. If the Heat had done a better job of making him feel like family, I think he would have stayed.

But why did he leave Cleveland then, if they treated him and his entourage so well in the first place.
I think that was a factor, but not the main factor. I think he really doesn't want the pressure, of winning it every year.
He put that pressure when he said, not one, not two, not three,....

But once he saw, that it might not be as easy as he thought, he lowered the bar, and now he is just okay with one title Cleveland.

Youthful arrogance. Once reality set in though, he got homesick.

kyphi wrote:so what, op? you gonna call dibs on calling it?

Nope, though I was on the money about LeBron snaking behind our backs hanging out with Ray and JJ as soon as the Finals ended. I said he was buddying them up real good to take them with him to Cavs. I was right.

show us your posts talking up this theory before the finals began this season

don't worry, i'll wait

Honestly, LeBron always left a weird taste in my mouth. Remember when he walked into Spoelstra during a timeout? Dude is just strange. Very temperamental.

Bosh, though, that's a cool dude. Really glad he's coming back.

LeChosen One wrote:LOL you're reaching hard bro.. He stood at the back of the ECF presentation because he didn't give a **** about it, he wanted a championship

This. Lebron appeared to have decent chemistry with wade/bosh. I think wade is injured/declining to the point where he is no longer a top player (Im sure some of you guys already realized this?). This past season it felt like the big 1 and a half vs the big three. That's probably a big reason why LeBron signed with Cleveland.