Will Miami retire Lebron's jersey?

[MoneyMo]

Surprised by the lack of gratitude from some of the heat posters. Guy wins you 2 rings as finals MVP and gets two MVP awards in your squads jersey? Not a large list of guys you can even say that about period for any team.

Is what it is I guess.

We got him 2 rings and he showed zero gratitude. In case you haven't noticed, he's 0 for 8 trying to win championships while not wearing a Miami Heat jersey.

Lmao get serious, he got himself those rings.

He was by far the best player on that roster. As soon as he leaves Heat can't even qualify for the playoffs. Yeah you had injuries but even with both Bosh and Wade in the lineup together the team was below 500. After the Dragic trade with Bosh out, the Heat still had Wade, Whiteside, Deng and Dragic and they couldn't even beat out a tanking Boston, and a worthless Nets team.

More and More it looks like those 4 years were just all Lebron.

[Heat3]

What's so surprising?

The ungrateful attitude of Heat fans on this board who were balls deep in Lebron less than 2 years ago.

ungrateful for what? when he was here he was cheered. he's no longer here, we supposed to continue kissing his behind? seems one sided....if you want to deify athletes you are free to do so. i find this line of thinking and celebrity butt kissing much more disturbing tbh.


as for the OP, his jersey may or may not be retired. if it does i imagine it will be after shaq's...

[Young_Buc]

The heat fans are coming off really strange in this thread. LeBron left his hometown for you ungreatful clowns. He played some of the greatest seasons in basketball HISTORY for your team. Now you want to act like you're a historic franchise without him? Disgusting.

[Ben-N1ce]

His Jersey should not hang with the other great Heat players

[7-12-52]

Pure comedy. So when Lebron left Cleveland for Miami after winning no rings the common response was "what does he owe you after 7 years?" or the more popular "you mad?"

Now Lebron leaves them after winning 2 rings and 4 straight finals appearances and now obviously "they mad."

[Wolfy1983]

His Jersey should not hang with the other great Heat players

You gotta laugh at the mocking Riles gets for him hanging Jordan's number, yet, you say one negative thing about the guy, people on this forum(non-Bulls fans included) jump down your throat because he's treated like the Messiah of American pro sports.

Also, have u forgotten that Zo and Hardway's numbers are also hanging? A Glass half empty thinker, aren't you?

[Makaveli DaDon]

Wade I agree, Haslem and Bosh not at all. Bosh is every bit the mercenary you guys paint Lebron to be, and he was only the 3rd best player during those title runs.
Haslem is simply a loyal guy. He's never been anything but an ever so slightly above average player. By that standard you can hang the jersey of about 20 guys in your rafters. It wouldn't mean anything anymore.

Lebron is a mercenary because he left. It's similar in relation to a sperm donor and a father. A father sticks it out, a sperm donor hits it after he gets his nut. The same reason Lebron recognizes his mom and not his dad. When we thought we knew him, he left. Bosh stuck around, loyalty actually means something. The sad thing is Lebron was going to win over Miami from Wade, you can see it but he never embraced it. For a guy worried about his brand, he never tried or fake attempted to learn Spanish while living in Miami or even dabbed into any other cultures like Haitian, Jamaican, Trinidadian, Bahamian, Dominican, Mexican and Puerto Rican. Miami is a big melt pot for all of these cultures and he didn't embrace none. Look at what Univision did to trump, and you were right down the street from it for four years and didn't even try.


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Bosh was ready to go to Houston until Miami offered him an MVP level contract

also that is an odd analogy as lebron james and chris bosh are both fathers in real life

He still could have left with the chance to win. Remember bosh didn't want to opt out, LeBron had lunch with Wade and Bosh and convinced them to opt out and he bailed.He only received an extra year.


It's not odd. LeBron dad had sex with Gloria James. He distanced himself away from them and LeBron carries his mothers last name not his dad. He tatted Gloria on his body not the guy he left. Same with us, we thank him for the championships but why should we want to put him on a pedestal. He doesn't even acknowledge us,"the franchise I played for". Not the franchise that took him in when everyone shidded on him, that rose banners with, received rings with. We were like college.


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[sixerswillrule]

What's so surprising?

The ungrateful attitude of Heat fans on this board who were balls deep in Lebron less than 2 years ago.

ungrateful for what? when he was here he was cheered. he's no longer here, we supposed to continue kissing his behind? seems one sided....if you want to deify athletes you are free to do so. i find this line of thinking and celebrity butt kissing much more disturbing tbh.


as for the OP, his jersey may or may not be retired. if it does i imagine it will be after shaq's...

Of course not. You don't need to take it upon your yourself to bring up LeBron. Obviously you're focused on now, and LeBron isn't on your team now, so that's fine. But when OTHER people bring up LeBron and the Heat (e.g. this thread), and you decide to join that conversation, then it's different...Either a) stay out of that conversation, or b) don't feel upset, angry, bitter, or have any negativity towards a guy who was largely responsible for the best 4 year stretch in your franchise's history.

[Makaveli DaDon]

The heat fans are coming off really strange in this thread. LeBron left his hometown for you ungreatful clowns. He played some of the greatest seasons in basketball HISTORY for your team. Now you want to act like you're a historic franchise without him? Disgusting.

Ungrateful? We said thank you for the championships, much better than he said to us.





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[Makaveli DaDon]

The ungrateful attitude of Heat fans on this board who were balls deep in Lebron less than 2 years ago.

ungrateful for what? when he was here he was cheered. he's no longer here, we supposed to continue kissing his behind? seems one sided....if you want to deify athletes you are free to do so. i find this line of thinking and celebrity butt kissing much more disturbing tbh.


as for the OP, his jersey may or may not be retired. if it does i imagine it will be after shaq's...

Of course not. You don't need to take it upon your yourself to bring up LeBron. Obviously you're focused on now, and LeBron isn't on your team now, so that's fine. But when OTHER people bring up LeBron and the Heat (e.g. this thread), and you decide to join that conversation, then it's different...Either a) stay out of that conversation, or b) don't feel upset, angry, bitter, or have any negativity towards a guy who was largely responsible for the best 4 year stretch in your franchise's history.

You shouldn't get mad that we say no right now. We listed our reasons why he shouldn't. People act like LeBron dominated the league before Miami and no one else could win. He only became dominant in Miami. His shooting percentage was higher in Miami because we built the team around him, the credit to him and he fell for it. If battier, cole, chalmers played decently normal we would have three peated. If LeBron played half decent we would have beat Dallas. If LeBron played the way he did in these finals, we would have beaten San Antonio.


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[Flashpoint]

It's really hard as a Heat fan to suppress our distaste of other teams fanbases. Especially in a thread like this. When he left Cleveland, the backlash he faced was overwhelming. Cleveland fans lost their damn minds and everyone joined in this mob mentality and was very supportive of Cle's lunacy. We defended him. We accepted him as one of our own. When he left us the same way we handled it without all the pathetic weeping and self pity. We don't boo him or burn jerseys. We just move on. The reality is we surrounded him with far more talent than he ever had in Cleveland and helped him play the best he ever had. That's why the team won. Which he has yet to do without us. So gratitude needs to be a 2way street here.

We're very aware of how great a player he is, we just don't respect him much as a person and don't feel he has any connection to the city or the franchise after only 4 years. There's no rush to retire the number of someone who only played 4 years for your team and left on bad terms. The hypocrisy here is pretty incredible. Ask Cleveland if they wanted to retire his number after he left them.

[Makaveli DaDon]

Cleveland didn't even take down a letter calling the man a quitter until he resigned with the team 4 years later. [SMILING FACE WITH OPEN MOUTH AND COLD SWEAT]


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[fishfuego.]

What's so surprising?

The ungrateful attitude of Heat fans on this board who were balls deep in Lebron less than 2 years ago.

Not like it matters though. The Heat still have to retire Russell, Wilt, Kareem, Magic, Bird, Duncan, ... as well.

WTF are you talking about gratefulness in relations to an egotistic player that when the time arrived he not only fled but kept the Organization hostage while trying to handycap the team by recruting it's remaining players.

All that while not ever even talking about Heat fans that defended him relentlessly for 4 years from the monumental hate coming from the same fans that are defending him today, and the media that pinned him to be the worst possible villain type player, or an owner who was just a bit short of using voodoo magic to wish him harm. Yeah , where's his gratitude then while we're in the topic?

Child please!

[Wolfy1983]

Didn't he receive a standing ovation on Christmas day? Did he thank us in his letter?

Seems to me that we've shown our gratitude, unlike him.

[mab2039]

It happens all the time in sports. Especially with aging role players . The lakers cut ties with Derek fisher in 2012 and fisher meant WAYYY more to the lakers than miller to miami. If anything Id argue miami spoiled lebron like crazy. Provided him very good role players that helped contribute to titles. Battier, Ray Allen, Chris Anderson

Yeah he is so spoiled that he had to lead the team in assist, rebounds, points all while being the best defender too and not to mention had to run the offense on top of it. Having that kind of responsibility with playing that many games and minutes is a recipe of blowing year knees. It must have taken a toll on him, i dont know how anyone cant realize how hard it is. That roster lacked youth in a bad way, If i were him i would bolt too.

And he lead the Cavs in all those same stats in the playoffs. Maybe he's just that good?

You wanna talk about taken a toll on him?

He had to do that in the playoffs because of Verajao, Love being out. If they were in the game he would not have to rebound like that. We are talking about 82 games a season for 4 years continuously versus playoffs which consisted of 20 games.

[Cyrusman122000]

Yeah he is so spoiled that he had to lead the team in assist, rebounds, points all while being the best defender too and not to mention had to run the offense on top of it. Having that kind of responsibility with playing that many games and minutes is a recipe of blowing year knees. It must have taken a toll on him, i dont know how anyone cant realize how hard it is. That roster lacked youth in a bad way, If i were him i would bolt too.

And he lead the Cavs in all those same stats in the playoffs. Maybe he's just that good?

You wanna talk about taken a toll on him?

He had to do that in the playoffs because of Verajao, Love being out. If they were in the game he would not have to rebound like that. We are talking about 82 games a season for 4 years continuously versus playoffs which consisted of 20 games.

You seriously talk as if he played with scrubs in miami for 4 years. It's unbelievable to be honest

[Jedi32]

Why are people still acting like Miami or their fans owe lebron anything? Miami did just as much for lebron as lebron did for them if not more. Miami put him in positions to win. I mean let's be real if it were all just the power of lebron Cleveland would have won one already. Now Riley seems like a fair dude, I'm sure the heat will retire lebron's jersey, but even if they don't it's not a big deal imo.

[runlikehell]

Yeah he is so spoiled that he had to lead the team in assist, rebounds, points all while being the best defender too and not to mention had to run the offense on top of it. Having that kind of responsibility with playing that many games and minutes is a recipe of blowing year knees. It must have taken a toll on him, i dont know how anyone cant realize how hard it is. That roster lacked youth in a bad way, If i were him i would bolt too.

And he lead the Cavs in all those same stats in the playoffs. Maybe he's just that good?

You wanna talk about taken a toll on him?

He had to do that in the playoffs because of Verajao, Love being out. If they were in the game he would not have to rebound like that. We are talking about 82 games a season for 4 years continuously versus playoffs which consisted of 20 games.

Yeah and he never had to carry a team more than he just did. 20 games or not he was playing damn near the entire game in the more intense playoffs. I mean seriously read your own iniitial quote, that describes him in these past playoffs x10, Lebron never took nearly that many shots in Miami. Varajeo is always out and Love is injury prone as well, so is Kyrie, whats you're point? I can make injury excuses for the Heat as well.

[majortom71]

The heat fans are coming off really strange in this thread. LeBron left his hometown for you ungreatful clowns. He played some of the greatest seasons in basketball HISTORY for your team. Now you want to act like you're a historic franchise without him? Disgusting.

Let's get something clear about Lebron.
Lebron left Cleveland for Lebron and Lebron went back to Cleveland for Lebron.
Basically, Lebron is all about himself. That's very clear and I won't say it's good or bad. It is his career so it's his call.
Of course, he'll make it about going "back home" so that he does not get a negative image but the reality was that Cleveland was a better opportunity than Miami was. Riley felt he was "loyal" but clearly did not understand what Lebron is about.

If the a better opportunity presents itself for furthering his career and legacy, I would not bat a lash if he left the Cavs.

Edit: I do think he did enough to get number retired, but from reading what the Heat fans have wrote i'm not sure that will happen.

[mab2039]

The team owner and team president took it very personally last summer. Laugh, but the franchise preaches family. It will almost certainly take a change in ownership or a significant softening of those feelings before it's considered.

Look at Riley's words, "smiling faces with hidden agendas." The team mortgaged some of its future to get him here with the contract he wanted, only to have him leave in a backhanded way. Lebatard had mentioned repeatedly that Riley felt "betrayed." This isn't a small thing. We've never seen or heard Pat speak so openly and angrily about a former player before. Not even Shaq, and he left on bad terms.

LeBron is Fredo Corleone to Riley. He went against the family.

Yes LBJ should have told Riley, he is going to leave in the beginning of the free agency. But dont tell me your team mortgaged some of its future when you won two rings and went to 4 straight finals. Your teams has been piss poor in drafting during these period, aside from Cole but even he is MEH.

So, you guys were not creative enough to infuse youth in the line-up knowing that you got aging roster. Given you guys had to cut Miller for the tax implications and you guys gave away Joel Anthony along with the pick you acquired from sixers for previous years trade of the pick. So, you guys got rid of two players and a pick and didnt even bring anyone to replace them that last year. And dont tell me you brought Beasly that year. It would have been fine if you guys spent that MMLE but you didnt even do that after losing Miller.
They opted for flexibility the upcoming year but i dont see how you could have flexibility if all three players were to receive MAX contract unless the front office were assuming LBJ would take a discount again lol. When you dont have cap space and you dont draft well, it is hard.

We traded picks just to s&t for him for the extra year and annual raises. The plan wasn't for 5 years. You know nothing about his franchise, so it's not surprising that you can't comprehend the situation.

There's a reason we were never and to fill the roster with adequate depth during the run. We were cap strapped and had no assets. Did Cleveland give up their flexibility to take him back?

Riley did the best he could given the situation. LeBron is free to leave. The franchise and fanbase is free to hold a grudge.

You are the one who cant grasp a single sentence i wrote and instead answered on something i didnt even mention. Any team would have done the same if they were to get a chance to sign lebron, they would have traded those picks. But you guys are known to be notoriously bad at drafting players, lets not deny this. It doesnt matter if the plan was for 5 years or 20 years, GM's job is to draft as wisely and sign the best complementary players to fit in the system. Pat Riely did sign guys like Battier, Ray, Birdman and i admit that. But their last year none of their wing players were fit to play your headless chicken defense and it took a toll on the whole team.
You say you were Capped out and had no assets, which is true somewhat. So if you are capped out you should have been very careful in drafting, because realistically this is the only way for you to get better. Your 2012 drafting is very bad in case you havent looked back at it. You guys should have drafted Festus Ezeli knowing you lacked interior defense and rebounding, instead you trade that for future pick and even that future pick you end up trading. So what is your end game here.
So you are not drafting and you are capped out , how are you bringing young players in? My question is if they amnestied MIller, why did they not bring in somebody else that year? You only brought Beasley and we all know how much he played that year. You talk about flexibility but unless all three of your stars took pay cut for the second time, you would not be able to sign anybody of significance with young legs.
Yes riley was good but could have done better. BTW you guys had a glorious run those years that most of the league would envy. Any Heat will rise again, and be grateful and dont take things for granted.