Why was it a big deal with the Heat and not with others?

[twix2500]

Most of these posters are just going to rehash what the media tells you. Look for years prior to Lebron choosing Miami everyone was predicting Lebron James to leave Cleveland. So the excuse that people flipped out that he left cleveland are false. Second the media made tons of claims that they knew he was going to NY because it was a bigger Market, Jay - Z blah blah blah blah. By Lebron choosing Miami, he made much of the media look like fakes so they quickly took everything he did and made it the worse thing ever to draw attention away from themselves. No one would of thought of the press conference being bad if it wasnt for the media telling you so. In all the media lite a fuse by painting Lebron as a bad guy and made tons of money off that fire, after making tons of money by lieing to you that they knew Lebron was going to New York. If you just sit back and look at what Lebron did it was bad at all, period.

[JoseRizal]

First off, the Heat signed their team via unrestricted Free Agency while the Lakers, Celtics and Knicks all were build via trades.

Secondly, James was the best player in the league and after two spectacular flame outs in Cleveland, he left for Miami. In literally the worst way imaginable. I mean at no point before the Decision did anyone seriously believe James would throw black paint on his legacy and go to Miami.

Third, everyone and their mother is hating on Dwight Howard. People are just so done with saying "I hate Dwight Howard" because of how long the process was.

Fourth, the other teams you mentioned were not acquiring the best player in the peak of his NBA career. KG was already on the downslide (though gave Boston 1.5 more KG like years) in Boston, Gasol is clearly a #2 option on a title contender, the Knicks don't even bare mentioning until they're a playoff team and not a regular season team.

+1

[Tave]

This.

Every situation is unique. The question is, do the minor differences matter?

For example, KG had to OK the Boston trade before it could go through. It was a sign and trade. Ditto for Melo. Why don't people blast them for "not winning on their own," or "teaming up with other superstars?" They had as much control over their destinies as Wade/James/Bosh. You're arguing over distinctions without merit.

Some of the other attempts at rationalization are even more absurd. The "knicks didn't make it out of the first round," really? Howard wanted to create a superteam with Brooklyn so it's OK Mitch traded for him and created a superteam on the Lakers, really? REALLY? Those are justifications? C'mon man, talk about the sourest of grapes. Like the Heat or not, it doesn't matter, but don't blast them for doing what every competitive organization in the history of the league has always done: whatever was in their power to field the best squad possible.

Hate them for their arrogance or entitlement. Don't hate them for wanting to win.

KG was not a sign and trade, he was under contract for 2 more years.

Dude, he signed a 3-year, $60 million extension the day of the trade.

[BKAY]

Everything else was a reaction to the Heat's Big 3

[FingerRoll]

Everything was a reaction to the Boston Big 3 you mean. Ainge pretty much started an arms build-up around the NBA. After Cleveland's loss to Boston in 09-10, he knew he needed wade and bosh to take out Boston.

[Heats_Finest]

LeBron didn't give Cleveland a heads-up - the team that had been his home for years.

So what? Why should he have to give the organisation a heads up? Should every possible free agent let their team know they might be leaving so that the team can trade him, make him pack up all his stuff, and his family, just because he's not going to re-sign with them at the end of the season.

No that's garbage, and that's a garbage reason to hate on Lebron.

[Heats_Finest]

First off, the Heat signed their team via unrestricted Free Agency while the Lakers, Celtics and Knicks all were build via trades.

Secondly, James was the best player in the league and after two spectacular flame outs in Cleveland, he left for Miami. In literally the worst way imaginable. I mean at no point before the Decision did anyone seriously believe James would throw black paint on his legacy and go to Miami.

Third, everyone and their mother is hating on Dwight Howard. People are just so done with saying "I hate Dwight Howard" because of how long the process was.

Fourth, the other teams you mentioned were not acquiring the best player in the peak of his NBA career. KG was already on the downslide (though gave Boston 1.5 more KG like years) in Boston, Gasol is clearly a #2 option on a title contender, the Knicks don't even bare mentioning until they're a playoff team and not a regular season team.

+1

Um what? Revisionist memory much?

Melo came through trade, Tyson Chandler and Amare Stoudemire came through free agency, that's 2/3. I would call that a team that was a free agency team.

[LikeABosh]

BTW..what other HOF caliber players in their primes are CP3 and Melo teamed up with?

Oh, wow. Sorry, there's only one dwyane wade and he's in miami. I guess CP3 and Melo will have to settle with a stacked team with more evenly distributed talent.

[GeneralNbaFan]

But Miamis big 3 took a paycut to play together! And they were 3 of the top 10/15 player....

And? Plenty of other players had the same option to take less money, but they refused to. There's no need to feel bad for melo or dwight because they wanted a max contract

No offense, but why is it so difficult to understand?

There's no offense because I understand perfectly. It isn't hard to follow these petty arguments

So you would be ok, if Melo Paul Howard and Durant take a pay cut to play together? And such an paycut, to build also a good bench? The whole point is still : good players join each other to be a good team... but the bests dont!
At that time :Lebron was the best , Wade the 2nd (arguably top 4) and Bosh top 10....
I cant believe how someone can defend this kind of moves!

[GeneralNbaFan]

#1) Trade vs. free-agency

LeBron was traded to Miami after he agreed to go there. Howard was traded to LA after he said it was the only place he would go (that was still offering a trade package).

#3) Joined in conference rivals

How was Wade a rival? He and LeBron never met in the postseason. The same goes for Bosh. However, Kobe beat Howard in the Finals. Yet LeBron is the one joining a rival?

#4) Joined prime players, the old guy and young guy team ups don't bother the public

The Celtics were all in their prime when they joined up and no one said anything.

#5) LeBron promised Cleveland a title

And they didn't get him enough help to do it.

wait wait wait, are you serious? Beside 5 everythink he said is IMPORTANT and legit!

[Edrees]

2010 called they want their thread back

[FlashKing]

KG put in a decade's worth of work in Minny.

Ray Allen was coming off double ankle surgery and was seen as washed up.

First off, what does KG putting in a decades worth in Minny have to do with anything? LeBron put 7 years in Cleveland and took them deeper into the playoffs with far less talent. Second, Ray was washed up at the time? The guy was averaging 26.4 in his last year in Seattle.

[Trader_Joe]

This.

Every situation is unique. The question is, do the minor differences matter?

For example, KG had to OK the Boston trade before it could go through. It was a sign and trade. Ditto for Melo. Why don't people blast them for "not winning on their own," or "teaming up with other superstars?" They had as much control over their destinies as Wade/James/Bosh. You're arguing over distinctions without merit.

Some of the other attempts at rationalization are even more absurd. The "knicks didn't make it out of the first round," really? Howard wanted to create a superteam with Brooklyn so it's OK Mitch traded for him and created a superteam on the Lakers, really? REALLY? Those are justifications? C'mon man, talk about the sourest of grapes. Like the Heat or not, it doesn't matter, but don't blast them for doing what every competitive organization in the history of the league has always done: whatever was in their power to field the best squad possible.

Hate them for their arrogance or entitlement. Don't hate them for wanting to win.

KG was not a sign and trade, he was under contract for 2 more years.

Dude, he signed a 3-year, $60 million extension the day of the trade.

Locking him for 5 years,
He was not a free agent, nor was it a sign and trade. You are wrong.

[JordansBulls]

KG put in a decade's worth of work in Minny.

Ray Allen was coming off double ankle surgery and was seen as washed up.

Also the Twolves hadn't made the playoffs in 3 years at that. Wasn't like KG left after the 2004 season after getting the top spot and joined someone like Kobe afterwards.

[daam]

First off, the Heat signed their team via unrestricted Free Agency while the Lakers, Celtics and Knicks all were build via trades.

Secondly, James was the best player in the league and after two spectacular flame outs in Cleveland, he left for Miami. In literally the worst way imaginable. I mean at no point before the Decision did anyone seriously believe James would throw black paint on his legacy and go to Miami.

Third, everyone and their mother is hating on Dwight Howard. People are just so done with saying "I hate Dwight Howard" because of how long the process was.

Fourth, the other teams you mentioned were not acquiring the best player in the peak of his NBA career. KG was already on the downslide (though gave Boston 1.5 more KG like years) in Boston, Gasol is clearly a #2 option on a title contender, the Knicks don't even bear mentioning until they're a playoff team and not a regular season team.

/thread.

Best post of the thread. And, just to be clear, people hate the other super teams too. It´s just that people "hate" Lebron more. The Celtics did do it first, but people felt KG had already paid its dues to Minny. Not so with Lebron and Cleveland.

Do they really hate him so much after finally winning the title? I get the feeling they appreciate him more after how he perfomed (and still is). And he played 7 years in Cleveland, it's just the way he did it was immature. He had all the right to leave Cleveland.

[Heat fan06]

Well the hate isn't as strong but still...

[D Nice]

Not going to read through 9 pages of what is almost assuredly crap, OP, were you in a hole prior to 2011? Of course, even then, you don't really have a good reason, as google is your friend.

Either this is disingenuous bait, or you have no conception of the difference in the circumstances of these team-ups and should have created a thread simply asking what was wrong with what the Heat did without dragging other teams into it. The other teams you named are mostly old stars past their primes, and in most cases the moves happened independently of them, they weren't directly planned/caused by them.

Also, this league used to be a man's league full of competitors. Not babies. Michael Jordan didn't want to play with Barkley, he wanted to crush him. Magic and Bird delighted in nothing more than handing the other a painful defeat. Kobe Bryant had to fight and claw his way away from Shaq's shadow while putting up with hell for 1/2 of his career. Wade and Lebron were/are gods of this league who were probably the most exciting head-to-head matchup to watch in the league at the time. Both had multitudes of avenues that would have allowed them to join highly competitive teams while being paid similarly.

I don't hate Lebron for wanting the South Beach life. I'm moving to South Florida in a year and have spent plenty of Spring Breaks/New Years there, I get it, it's an incredible life. But the manner in which they did what they did and the detriment it did to the league are reasons for everyone to hate them.

Then on top of that you have all of the games these guys played with other franchises, the decision, "we already won," "all of you have to wake up with your **** lives tomorrow," etc. They are the most unlikable group of superstars ever assembled. That's why when Dirk and the Mavericks won in 2011, it was truly like 29 fanbases won the title. It was friggin unprecedented.

[madmaxmedia]

Then on top of that you have all of the games these guys played with other franchises, the decision, "we already won," "all of you have to wake up with your **** lives tomorrow," etc. They are the most unlikable group of superstars ever assembled. That's why when Dirk and the Mavericks won in 2011, it was truly like 29 fanbases won the title. It was friggin unprecedented.

LOL at this part. The formation of the Heat gave them notoriety, but it was 'The Decision' and quotes like this that made him/them hated.

Do they really hate him so much after finally winning the title? I get the feeling they appreciate him more after how he perfomed (and still is). And he played 7 years in Cleveland, it's just the way he did it was immature. He had all the right to leave Cleveland.

I think the best thing that ever happened to LeBron was losing that series to the Mavs. I feel like he got a good dose of humility and perspective after it. By the time they beat the Thunder, he had at the very least repaired his public persona, and I think the change was genuine. People respect that.

[The4thHorseman]

KG put in a decade's worth of work in Minny.

Ray Allen was coming off double ankle surgery and was seen as washed up.

Also the Twolves hadn't made the playoffs in 3 years at that. Wasn't like KG left after the 2004 season after getting the top spot and joined someone like Kobe afterwards.

That's because he signed a 5yr 100mil contract extension in October of 2003 which kicked in after the season. Minny also brought in Sprewell, Sam Cassell and Olowokandi that off season before he signed the extension.

[Senor Chang]

1. People hate Dwight. They may hate Lebron more but that is because he is that much better and relevant than Dwight. That and "The decision".

2. Knicks? not a superteam.

3. Celtics? People wanted to see KG succeed (at the time)

4. Lakers? Kobe, Gasol, and Nash are old. Apple to oranges.

5. The biggest underlying reason nobody talks about is the fact Lebron left to play with another closer in Wade. If Kobe leaves to play with Tmac he would get hate as well.

6. Despite all this hoopla Dwight seems to genuinely care what people think about him. After the decision Lebron and Wade displayed an attitude of "I don't care, go F yourself" based on their postgame interviews and comments throughout that first season.