After the Dust Settles

I know, I know. I didn't post 900 articles during free agency. Why? I fell into the trance that was NBA free agency summer 2010. I'm currently working as an intern at an investment bank, and I honestly didn't get a single thing done during free agency. The sources, Chris Broussard, the radio talk shows: everyone and their brother had to give their two sense about LBJ and the free agent bonanza. When it was all said and done most of us looked stupid. We wanted to believe these players were weighing their options to make the biggest decisions of their lives. We wanted to believe our team would land someone great. We became emotionally attached to the possibilities.

In reality, LBJ, Bosh, and Wade had a plan to join the Miami Heat that was all but pre-determined assuming financial limitations could be worked out. I'm sure anyone reading this has discussed LeBron for too long and is ready to move on: but I will state my comments.

There seems to be a few common sentiments:

1. LeBron is a traitor- he left Cleveland. Personally, I think this is bullshit. He paid his dues, they didn't win, he left. He earned that right and it is only the sour taste in people's mouths that will allow them to feel this way. At the end of the day, LeBron James is too big for Cleveland and that's the unfortunate truth. If Clevelander's want the biggest and best, they should move to the biggest and best cities.

2. LeBron can't be the man- he's a coward- LeBron is joining Wade to be his second fiddle. People are saying: would MJ, Bird, or Magic do that? Would they leave their team to join someone else's? Answer: No, and that is why LeBron will never be MJ. Yet, in his defense, those guys all had a better supporting cast than LeBron did in CLE- so don't chew out LeBron for seeking better players. The consensus from this group would be if he wanted better players he could have gone to the Bulls and still been "the" man.

3. Guys, LeBron just wants rings & to have fun with his boys. Hey, he may get his rings and a lot of them, whether or not they are discredited since he left CLE to play with Wade remains to be seen.

My take: If LeBron goes to Miami and expects both him and wade to be dominant scoring wing players who both take over games, problems will arise. There's only one ball and there are two of them. However, if LeBron plays point guard and redefines himself as a 20,10,8 guy allowing Wade to average around 30 he may grow into the Magic/leader mold that could be forever respected.

Short, simple, lets wait. As a basketball fan I am disappointed LeBron didn't want to be an alpha dog in Chi, Cle, or NY. As a Bulls fan I'm disappointed period. However, lets not deny how fun it'll be to watch this trio. Moreover, lets not deny that a Miami/LA final would have you hooked to the tv in a way most NBA fans haven't been since the great showdowns between the Bulls and Jazz in the 90's. Finally, give LeBron the chance to define his own path, and discuss his legacy when it's all said and done. After all he's 25 years old, and if you could play with your best friends you probably would yourself.