Durant comes away smelling like roses.

[Absinthe]

Lebron, Wade, and Bosh have all shown their true colors during this debacle. It seems that Wade turned down Chicago when Chicago gave him a chance to see his children on a regular basis and that's his hometown. So he leaves his kids to rot with his headcase of a wife to stay with Miami. Father of the Year, he is not.

Bosh sauntered around like a little attention whore throughout this entire period of free agency by posting on twitter, briefly flirting with teams he had no intention of signing with, and proved that he's disloyal by completely screwing Toronto over. Oh, and he virtually hopped on Wade's back for a piggie back ride throughout Miami. I hope the two of them enjoy their oil drenched shores for the next several years.

I'm not convinced Lebron is going to Miami, but if he does then it proves he is a coward. He'll probably average close to a triple double on that team if he plays point, but he'll prove (once again) that his image is the most important thing to him. People can't honestly accuse him of having an ego because he'd be playing second fiddle to Wade on top of leaving money on the table. His one hour special seems particularly bad because it reminds me of the ill conceived press conference that Tiger Woods had not too long ago. Not only that, but he held the Cavs franchise hostage. People have been speculating why the Cavs haven't traded for players using the assets they have. Why would they? Why trade for large contracts when they're not even sure if Lebron is coming back? If he leaves, they want to be a lottery team that is rebuilding, not some team that is a perennial eighth seed contender. Even if he re-signs he comes away looking like a villain. If he signs with Miami or New York then he is sane. If he signs with Chicago then I don't think he comes away looking as bad.

Durant has been quiet, signs an extension, and has been lurking in the shadows. Out of the four, he's the player I would want on my team. He's talented, humble, and happy where he's at. Who wouldn't want to play with him?

[dnbman]

Lebron, Wade, and Bosh have all shown their true colors during this debacle. It seems that Wade turned down Chicago when Chicago gave him a chance to see his children on a regular basis and that's his hometown. So he leaves his kids to rot with his headcase of a wife to stay with Miami. Father of the Year, he is not.

Bosh sauntered around like a little attention whore throughout this entire period of free agency by posting on twitter, briefly flirting with teams he had no intention of signing with, and proved that he's disloyal by completely screwing Toronto over. Oh, and he virtually hopped on Wade's back for a piggie back ride throughout Miami. I hope the two of the enjoy their oil drenched shores for the next several years.

I'm not convinced Lebron is going to Miami, but if he does then it proves he is a coward. He'll probably average close to a triple double on that team if he plays point, but he'll prove (once again) that his image is the most important thing to him. People can't honestly accuse him of having an ego because he'd be playing second fiddle to Wade on top of leaving money on the table. His one hour special seems particularly bad because it reminds me of the ill conceived press conference that Tiger Woods had not too long ago. Not only that, but he held the Cavs franchise hostage. People have been speculating why the Cavs haven't traded for players using the assets they have. Why would they? Why trade for large contracts when they're not even sure if Lebron is coming back? If he leaves, they want to be a lottery team that is rebuilding, not some team that is a perennial eighth seed contender. Even if he re-signs he comes away looking like a villain.

Durant has been quiet, signs an extension, and has been lurking in the shadows. Out of the four, he's the player I would want on my team. He's talented, humble, and happy where he's at. Who wouldn't want to play with him?

Durant no doubt wins this summer, but he's also in a much different situation. Bosh-Wade-Bron is as much of multi-year media frenzy as it is three egos.

It's not that I don't think Durant shouldn't get praise. He should, as he's handled himself very well. However, he's not a UFA, he has a very talented team around him, and most people didn't even know he was trying to sign a contract. Meanwhile, Bron, Wade, and Bosh are in the prime of their careers, with this signing likely outlining their career legacy.

Love Durant. Different situations.

[SWedd523]

LeBron has really shown his true colors with all of the attention-whore moves he's made so far this summer. Just because he signs in Miami though doesn't mean he takes much less money. No property taxes saves him at least a few million.




I'm just waiting to see how long it is before everybody starts saying "I've been a Miami fan my entire life!"

[Absinthe]

Durant no doubt wins this summer, but he's also in a much different situation. Bosh-Wade-Bron is as much of multi-year media frenzy as it is three egos.

It's not that I don't think Durant shouldn't get praise. He should, as he's handled himself very well. However, he's not a UFA, he has a very talented team around him, and most people didn't even know he was trying to sign a contract. Meanwhile, Bron, Wade, and Bosh are in the prime of their careers, with this signing likely outlining their career legacy.

Love Durant. Different situations.

It's not really different. Lebron could have avoided all of this by announcing that he was re-signing with the Cavs weeks ago. That way, the Cavs front office could have made a run at players like Amare, Bosh, etc. because they could say, "He's definitely going to play here." Would you willingly sign with Cleveland when you don't know if Lebron is going to be there or not? Hell no. Or, you know, he could have signed an extension like Durant did. But no, this is what happens when an egomaniacal player chooses to be a seal balancing a ball on his nose instead of being a professional and handling things like an consummate pro should.

[bing!]

All of his shenanigans are gonna rise up to a - I'm signing with the GUANDONG SOUTHERN TIGERS - finale.

I mean, consider the market...

[dnbman]

It's not really different. Lebron could have avoided all of this by announcing that he was re-signing with the Cavs weeks ago. That way, the Cavs front office could have made a run at players like Amare, Bosh, etc. because they could say, "He's definitely going to play here." Would you willingly sign with Cleveland when you don't know if Lebron is going to be there or not? Hell no.

He openly campaigned to get Bosh to play in Cleveland and Bosh wouldn't go for it. How else was Cleveland going to get players? They were tapped out with Bron's contract and had mediocre trade pieces that weren't especially attractive to other people. I have no doubt the shadow of Kevin Garnett was weighing on Lebron, remembering a guy who gave his best years to a team that always floundered to surround their star with championship talent. Lebron recognized that the NBA is an arms race where multiple stars must find each other in order to get an edge on the other teams. While Durant's team is on the rise, Cleveland is on the decline and would only be in worse shape by giving Lebron a max contract, further limiting cap space to sign players. They would always be one of the better teams in the league, allowing them little in the way of draft picks to get better. Yet, he'd have several other teams with multiple stars that he'd have to face for the next several years with little help, barring some GM magic on behalf of Cleveland, who has not demonstrated to be very imaginative.

Durant, meanwhile, signs a contract on a team on the rise, loaded with young talent, that takes him to his mid-late 20s. If the Thunder haven't proven to be a title worthy unit, he can then sign another long term deal elsewhere, giving him a run in his prime with another team. While Lebron will get another contract after this one, he'll be in his thirties, in all likelihood on the decline.


Also, while Durant is a star, he doesn't have near the world wide attention that Lebron does. Lebron is a true superstar, a guy that average people who know who care nothing about basketball know. This media has covered this story since Lebron, Wade, and Bosh signed their last extension. Durant didn't have a story; he just signed an extension.

There's a pretty big difference between their situations. That being said, Lebron made himself look like an ass through this process and Durant is new young star that basketball fans will love, the position once held alternately by Lebron and Wade.

[Keetch]

LeBron WAS a superstar. I'm not sure he qualifies anymore. In fact, I'm not sure the Heat qualify as an NBA team. I really don't care whether they win 2 or 82 games. I don't really care if they win or lose to the Bobcats. I just have this very, very Globetrotters feeling about them now; without the comedy.

It's kind of a shame and a relief at the same time.

I wish the NBA could have a playoff bracket that excludes the Heat and Lakers. That would be WAY funner for an awful lot of nice people who deserve to enjoy real basketball, instead of NBA Theatre.