Will Miami retire Lebron's jersey?

[The High Cyde]

Yeah it should. Four straight Finals appearances hasn't been done in decades, and he was the strongest cause of that. Helped bring 2 titles to the franchise while being the leader in most stats (points, rebounds, assists), that's just absurd. First year there and the team goes to the Finals, first year he isn't and they miss the playoffs in a incredibly bad East. Yeah I know about the injuries, the W-L record happened regardless. I'd bet my favorite shirt that had LeBron stayed on the Heat this past season they'd make another srong push for the Finals again, with or without Bosh.

This was never a question in my mind. He's going to get his jersey retired. He damn well deserved it for what he did on the court for that team.

[Rock Hardy]

And I always love how people outside Miami feel bold enough to tell us how we should feel. Y'all can hang his jersey in your rafters if you feel so strongly about it.

We won a championship before LeBron. We'll win one after LeBron. He's not what defines this team or even the great run we had. I'd bet the farm that UD and Wade get their numbers retired many years before LeBron gets his. I'm a Pat Riley fan. Followed his career since '84. I've been a fan of every team he's been a part of. I've never once heard him throw shade at a former player. And a former MVP for his team? Some of you seriously underestimate how hard the feelings are in this situation. Riley won't be with the team for much longer, but he'll always be associated with it. And I honestly don't think we'll ever see him allow that jersey to be retired unless LeBron approaches him as a man on the issue. They can squash it like Gilbert did, but with no hope of return, I'm going to assume it's going to take an act of contrition on LeBron's part before Riley softens. Dude didn't applaud his return last Xmas, during the montage. He's just taken this particular hit much harder than I've ever seen. And I believe much of Heat Nation is on his corner.

If #6 never hands in the AAA, I will give zero cares. He got his rings. Most likely the only rings he'll ever win. That's all the compensation he deserves from my team. He doesn't wear our uniform anymore. Why should any of us honestly care?

[runlikehell]

And I always love how people outside Miami feel bold enough to tell us how we should feel. Y'all can hang his jersey in your rafters if you feel so strongly about it.

We won a championship before LeBron. We'll win one after LeBron. He's not what defines this team or even the great run we had. I'd bet the farm that UD and Wade get their numbers retired many years before LeBron gets his. I'm a Pat Riley fan. Followed his career since '84. I've been a fan of every team he's been a part of. I've never once heard him throw shade at a former player. And a former MVP for his team? Some of you seriously underestimate how hard the feelings are in this situation. Riley won't be with the team for much longer, but he'll always be associated with it. And I honestly don't think we'll ever see him allow that jersey to be retired unless LeBron approaches him as a man on the issue. They can squash it like Gilbert did, but with no hope of return, I'm going to assume it's going to take an act of contrition on LeBron's part before Riley softens. Dude didn't applaud his return last Xmas, during the montage. He's just taken this particular hit much harder than I've ever seen. And I believe much of Heat Nation is on his corner.

If #6 never hands in the AAA, I will give zero cares. He got his rings. Most likely the only rings he'll ever win. That's all the compensation he deserves from my team. He doesn't wear our uniform anymore. Why should any of us honestly care?

I cringed while reading this.

[Rock Hardy]

I cringed while reading this.

Why? Carrying LeBron's water shouldn't hurt so much.

ITT, Miami fans get told how to feel about one of their former stars.

Also ITT, Miami fans don't care.

[runlikehell]

I cringed while reading this.

Why? Carrying LeBron's water shouldn't hurt so much.

ITT, Miami fans get told how to feel about one of their former stars.

Also ITT, Miami fans don't care.

You're just embarrassing

Carry on.

[spacemonkey]

A lot of people keep justifying the Mike Miller decision as a "basketball decision", aka he did not contribute to production in basketball success, or winning.

As if appeasing your best player isn't also a 'basketball decision'...

LeBron is no longer contributing to Miami's success, or Miami's winning.

I concede that nobody knows if it was the Mike Miller thing for real, or just a convenient excuse for LeBron who already had his mind made up.

The whole narrative that Riley is made of 'sterner stuff' and he wouldn't take that ish from an 'egomaniac' is really absurd from a fan's point of view. I want my team to win, and if that means doing everything possible to retain LeBron, then I want my team's management to do that.

As much as I don't particularly like him, I'd take him on my team at any cost, including that of my own team GM's pride.

Because my GM's pride, his ego, does not contribute to winning.

[DreDay]

they didn't take a pay cut for him anymore than they took a pay cut to play with Joel Anthony. It was miller who took the pay cut. Riley met with him before he ever met with any of the big 3. only a fool would believe miller was In the top 100 reasons of why he left. It would still probably qualify you to report for ESPN though.

He had ONE good game vs okc in a blowout and he was serviceable vs the Spurs.

Year 1 he was broken
Year 2 he was broken
Year 3 he was riding the pine while Miami won 27 straight.

Why was this guy needed again? What value did he give to the Cavs this year that prove Miami was wrong in dumping him?

Reasons why Lebron would want to leave?

Misses home, family wants to return
Winning in Miami wasn't easy and losing here hurts his legacy more than losing as a cav. As evident this year where he chucked in the finals almost to an mvp while knowing his team had no chance to win.
No control in Miami. Cavs let him and his friends do as they please.
Heat role players getting older and Wade breaking down, sees Cavs as an easier route to the finals.

Or

End of the bench player got amnestied.

People act like they traded harden away to save a buck. It was a dude that couldn't get on the floor

Jesus, it's not Mike Miller the player although that had some role. It is the message it sent to LeBron that saving money is more important than winning championships. Arguing how good Mike Miller was or was not or how injury prone he was is not the point. Gilbert for all his faults is going all in and I can guarantee LeBron respects that he is willing to spend any amount of money.

For whatever reason you are confusing spending money on players that do not contribute to "winning". If Miller had indeed been beneficial to winning he would not have been amnestied.

It's a ridiculous notion to say Gilbert is all about winning/"all in" and the Heat prioritize saving money. When you look at what the Heat have consistently been for the past 20 years and what the Cavs have been. The Heat have actually won. They have won without Lebron. They have been contenders before Wade and Lebron even entered the league. In that time where would the Cavs be if Lebron wasn't born in Akron?

If your logic is to do whatever Lebron wants to keep him happy (assuming for whatever reason keeping mike miller was the key to everything which I think is laughable), that is no guarantee to winning. In fact it is prioritizing stroking the stars ego over winning. It sure as hell didn't work the first 7 years he was in Cleveland. The Heat do things a certain way and it has shown results. The Cavs can go about it differently. Get back to me when that method actually provides better results.

Miller not beneficial to winning? Debatable, being injury prone doesn't mean he is not beneficial. I'm sure the Heat would have loved a 8ppg year on 46% from 3 the year after he got amnestied. Also it ignores that Miller got amnestied solely because he was paid more than Joel Anthony. Even if he wasn't and this was because Joel Anthony was somehow more impactful than Mike Miller, the Heat replaced him with no one. You aren't fooling anyone by saying this was not a cost cutting move.

Everyone knows the Heat have been more successful than the Cavs, though that is not my point. I'm not sure what the Heat's success has to do with the point that Gilbert pays more. Might as well say that the Heat are less cheap than the Nets while you're at it, because it is irrelevant to the point that Gilbert is willing to go deep into the tax.

[Rock Hardy]

You're just embarrassing

Carry on.

I'm not embarrassed. He isn't a Heat player anymore. I don't care about anyone not in our uniform. What're they doing for me?

I'm more embarrassed for you caring so much about how we feel about someone who isn't here anymore. There's plenty of fish in the sea, bruh. There's no reason to get hung up on any one.

Now, if Wade left here, I'd still care. He's given more to my city than LeBron. We cared more about Zo and Timbug too. Much like the time LeBron was here, the opinions of the outside world mean nothing to us. We already won. We're Miami.

[Rock Hardy]

Miller not beneficial to winning? Debatable, being injury prone doesn't mean he is not beneficial. I'm sure the Heat would have loved a 8ppg year on 46% from 3 the year after he got amnestied. Also it ignores that Miller got amnestied solely because he was paid more than Joel Anthony. Even if he wasn't and this was because Joel Anthony was somehow more impactful than Mike Miller, the Heat replaced him with no one. You aren't fooling anyone by saying this was not a cost cutting move.

Everyone knows the Heat have been more successful than the Cavs, though that is not my point. I'm not sure what the Heat's success has to do with the point that Gilbert pays more. Might as well say that the Heat are less cheap than the Nets while you're at it, because it is irrelevant to the point that Gilbert is willing to go deep into the tax.

When spending like crazy to appease doesn't end in a title, what kind of winning decision was that?

Riley knows how to win. Having LeBron helps, but it's not the only way to win a championship. During his career, more championships have been won without LeBron than with. True story. Until Bosh went ill, we were in the playoffs, and about to take off with Dragon. Despite the setback, Riley recovered. This season, we're back in competitive form. I'm fine with the decision that was made. It's not like we win every year with LeBron anyway. You can't put all your eggs in one basket.

[magicmerl]

And I always love how people outside Miami feel bold enough to tell us how we should feel. Y'all can hang his jersey in your rafters if you feel so strongly about it.

With all due respect, YOU are not part of the Miami Heat franchise. You are just a basketball fan, the same as the rest of us.

We won a championship before LeBron. We'll win one after LeBron.

This line of reasoning would result in no player ever getting their number retired, for any team. Do you not think that is a trifle ridiculous?

He's not what defines this team or even the great run we had.

LeBron absolutely did define the 4-year run you just had. Bosh came because LeBron was there. Without LeBron MAI's last 4 years would have involed no rings and no finals appearances.

I'd bet the farm that UD and Wade get their numbers retired many years before LeBron gets his. I'm a Pat Riley fan. Followed his career since '84. I've been a fan of every team he's been a part of. I've never once heard him throw shade at a former player. And a former MVP for his team? Some of you seriously underestimate how hard the feelings are in this situation. Riley won't be with the team for much longer, but he'll always be associated with it. And I honestly don't think we'll ever see him allow that jersey to be retired unless LeBron approaches him as a man on the issue. They can squash it like Gilbert did, but with no hope of return, I'm going to assume it's going to take an act of contrition on LeBron's part before Riley softens. Dude didn't applaud his return last Xmas, during the montage. He's just taken this particular hit much harder than I've ever seen. And I believe much of Heat Nation is on his corner.

I agree with you that the criterion fo getting your number retire with the Heat seems to be 'Heat Lifer' rather than being a transcendant talent that makes you a contender or brings you championships.

Hence this discussion thread.

If #6 never hands in the AAA, I will give zero cares. He got his rings. Most likely the only rings he'll ever win. That's all the compensation he deserves from my team. He doesn't wear our uniform anymore. Why should any of us honestly care?

LOL bitter much? I would be astonished if LeBron finishes his career with only 2 rings. He is still only 30.

[davey_wavy]

All the sudden retiring jerseys seems meh, ask Bruce Bowen


Sent from my iPhone. If you don't own one, well, you should consider it.

[runlikehell]

Btw, they gave him a video montage in the Christmas game when him leaving was still fresh. 10 years from now when he's probably retired his jersey will be hanging in the AAA. If Lebron and Gilbert could make-up after comic sans, I have no doubt Riley and Lebron will too, even if it takes 5 or more years.

[Paz]

Jesus, it's not Mike Miller the player although that had some role. It is the message it sent to LeBron that saving money is more important than winning championships. Arguing how good Mike Miller was or was not or how injury prone he was is not the point. Gilbert for all his faults is going all in and I can guarantee LeBron respects that he is willing to spend any amount of money.

For whatever reason you are confusing spending money on players that do not contribute to "winning". If Miller had indeed been beneficial to winning he would not have been amnestied.

It's a ridiculous notion to say Gilbert is all about winning/"all in" and the Heat prioritize saving money. When you look at what the Heat have consistently been for the past 20 years and what the Cavs have been. The Heat have actually won. They have won without Lebron. They have been contenders before Wade and Lebron even entered the league. In that time where would the Cavs be if Lebron wasn't born in Akron?

If your logic is to do whatever Lebron wants to keep him happy (assuming for whatever reason keeping mike miller was the key to everything which I think is laughable), that is no guarantee to winning. In fact it is prioritizing stroking the stars ego over winning. It sure as hell didn't work the first 7 years he was in Cleveland. The Heat do things a certain way and it has shown results. The Cavs can go about it differently. Get back to me when that method actually provides better results.

Miller not beneficial to winning? Debatable, being injury prone doesn't mean he is not beneficial. I'm sure the Heat would have loved a 8ppg year on 46% from 3 the year after he got amnestied. Also it ignores that Miller got amnestied solely because he was paid more than Joel Anthony. Even if he wasn't and this was because Joel Anthony was somehow more impactful than Mike Miller, the Heat replaced him with no one. You aren't fooling anyone by saying this was not a cost cutting move.

Everyone knows the Heat have been more successful than the Cavs, though that is not my point. I'm not sure what the Heat's success has to do with the point that Gilbert pays more. Might as well say that the Heat are less cheap than the Nets while you're at it, because it is irrelevant to the point that Gilbert is willing to go deep into the tax.

Who cares. Let it go.

[Paz]

And I always love how people outside Miami feel bold enough to tell us how we should feel. Y'all can hang his jersey in your rafters if you feel so strongly about it.

With all due respect, YOU are not part of the Miami Heat franchise. You are just a basketball fan, the same as the rest of us.

We won a championship before LeBron. We'll win one after LeBron.

This line of reasoning would result in no player ever getting their number retired, for any team. Do you not think that is a trifle ridiculous?

He's not what defines this team or even the great run we had.

LeBron absolutely did define the 4-year run you just had. Bosh came because LeBron was there. Without LeBron MAI's last 4 years would have involed no rings and no finals appearances.

I'd bet the farm that UD and Wade get their numbers retired many years before LeBron gets his. I'm a Pat Riley fan. Followed his career since '84. I've been a fan of every team he's been a part of. I've never once heard him throw shade at a former player. And a former MVP for his team? Some of you seriously underestimate how hard the feelings are in this situation. Riley won't be with the team for much longer, but he'll always be associated with it. And I honestly don't think we'll ever see him allow that jersey to be retired unless LeBron approaches him as a man on the issue. They can squash it like Gilbert did, but with no hope of return, I'm going to assume it's going to take an act of contrition on LeBron's part before Riley softens. Dude didn't applaud his return last Xmas, during the montage. He's just taken this particular hit much harder than I've ever seen. And I believe much of Heat Nation is on his corner.

I agree with you that the criterion fo getting your number retire with the Heat seems to be 'Heat Lifer' rather than being a transcendant talent that makes you a contender or brings you championships.

Hence this discussion thread.

If #6 never hands in the AAA, I will give zero cares. He got his rings. Most likely the only rings he'll ever win. That's all the compensation he deserves from my team. He doesn't wear our uniform anymore. Why should any of us honestly care?

LOL bitter much? I would be astonished if LeBron finishes his career with only 2 rings. He is still only 30.

Just clearing up that Bosh signed before James

[Rock Hardy]

And I always love how people outside Miami feel bold enough to tell us how we should feel. Y'all can hang his jersey in your rafters if you feel so strongly about it.

With all due respect, YOU are not part of the Miami Heat franchise. You are just a basketball fan, the same as the rest of us.

We won a championship before LeBron. We'll win one after LeBron.

This line of reasoning would result in no player ever getting their number retired, for any team. Do you not think that is a trifle ridiculous?

He's not what defines this team or even the great run we had.

LeBron absolutely did define the 4-year run you just had. Bosh came because LeBron was there. Without LeBron MAI's last 4 years would have involed no rings and no finals appearances.

I'd bet the farm that UD and Wade get their numbers retired many years before LeBron gets his. I'm a Pat Riley fan. Followed his career since '84. I've been a fan of every team he's been a part of. I've never once heard him throw shade at a former player. And a former MVP for his team? Some of you seriously underestimate how hard the feelings are in this situation. Riley won't be with the team for much longer, but he'll always be associated with it. And I honestly don't think we'll ever see him allow that jersey to be retired unless LeBron approaches him as a man on the issue. They can squash it like Gilbert did, but with no hope of return, I'm going to assume it's going to take an act of contrition on LeBron's part before Riley softens. Dude didn't applaud his return last Xmas, during the montage. He's just taken this particular hit much harder than I've ever seen. And I believe much of Heat Nation is on his corner.

I agree with you that the criterion fo getting your number retire with the Heat seems to be 'Heat Lifer' rather than being a transcendant talent that makes you a contender or brings you championships.

Hence this discussion thread.

If #6 never hands in the AAA, I will give zero cares. He got his rings. Most likely the only rings he'll ever win. That's all the compensation he deserves from my team. He doesn't wear our uniform anymore. Why should any of us honestly care?

LOL bitter much? I would be astonished if LeBron finishes his career with only 2 rings. He is still only 30.

What makes new bitter? Bitter would suggest I didn't enjoy the hell out of the LeBron years, and somehow have a sense of dissatisfaction. I don't. I loved his time here...but he's not here anymore. And with how he left and made the man behind my team feel, I don't see any need to honor his memory anymore. The championships won't go away. The feelings of the Heat golden age won't go away. But the past shouldn't dictate the future, right? So why must I care anymore? What difference does it make to anyone not affiliated or supportive of the Heat if he's not honored as some cherished part of the franchise's past?

The Miami Heat history encompasses more than the LeBron years. He has to do right by Riley before he gets honored by me. Truth be told, LeBron won't care how I feel, so I couldn't give a rip about him. He's in Cleveland now. Heat history is still being made. Let the franchise he chose over ours coronate him. It might be the most significant thing to hang in this rafters anyway.

[vanhowell]

I was grateful with what he has done for the Heat but that's about it.. He got his rings.. He goes back to Cle, we move on.. so I really don't care if his number will be retired in AAA or not..


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

[magicmerl]

Just clearing up that Bosh signed before James

For sure. He also planned on signing where LeBron was.

Just like this offseason, Tristan Thomson is signing after LeBron, but you better believe that his contract has been ironed out already.

[SoFlaKingReal]

Jesus, it's not Mike Miller the player although that had some role. It is the message it sent to LeBron that saving money is more important than winning championships. Arguing how good Mike Miller was or was not or how injury prone he was is not the point. Gilbert for all his faults is going all in and I can guarantee LeBron respects that he is willing to spend any amount of money.

Oh please, the Cavs owner has NO CHOICE but to play along and break his bank or Lebron is bolting. Why the heck do you think he's last to sign.

ESPN and NIKE fed you the "I'M COMING HOME" bull sh*t lol.

Try again. I saw instantly through that crap and said just as much when he signed that it was all about joining a team. I never said LeBron left solely because of the Miller situation but you're kidding if the owner pinching pennies didn't play a role. I say he didn't trust him to provide the help needed because of these tendencies, because the Heat's cast was capped out in 2014 and it wasn't that great.

LeBron just didn't trust Pat Riley to fill the roster around him. AND BOY WAS HE WRONG. Look at what LeBron woulda had If he would have just been patient with the organization...but as a previous poster said...dudes a snake...he had his own personal agenda to change his PR narrative.

[SoFlaKingReal]

A lot of people keep justifying the Mike Miller decision as a "basketball decision", aka he did not contribute to production in basketball success, or winning.

As if appeasing your best player isn't also a 'basketball decision'...

LeBron is no longer contributing to Miami's success, or Miami's winning.

I concede that nobody knows if it was the Mike Miller thing for real, or just a convenient excuse for LeBron who already had his mind made up.

The whole narrative that Riley is made of 'sterner stuff' and he wouldn't take that ish from an 'egomaniac' is really absurd from a fan's point of view. I want my team to win, and if that means doing everything possible to retain LeBron, then I want my team's management to do that.

As much as I don't particularly like him, I'd take him on my team at any cost, including that of my own team GM's pride.

Because my GM's pride, his ego, does not contribute to winning.

Thats because most NBA fans are desperate for not even a championship, but simply relevance. In Miami however, we PISS excellence. The Heat have a culture that isn't going to break for ANYONE...and Heat fans are proud that Riley & Co. didn't bend over for the Queen.

[Paz]

Just clearing up that Bosh signed before James

For sure. He also planned on signing where LeBron was.

Just like this offseason, Tristan Thomson is signing after LeBron, but you better believe that his contract has been ironed out already.

I love fiction but if you're going to try to pass that off as fact, I'm sure you understand that some proof is required.