So, after reading that headline, you may be thinking I am either a) crazy, b) trying to be different, or c) have nothing else to talk about during the dog days of summer. But actually, I am beginning to honestly believe a mutual parting of the ways between LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers one year from now may be in the best interests of King James and the Cavs. In Part II, we'll examine how LeBron's increasing control over the franchise may be negatively impacting the Cavs on the court. In Part I, we'll consider recent developments that call into question the King's ability to lead his loyal subjects while carrying the weight of Cleveland on his shoulders.
While LeBron is by all accounts a model NBA citizen and person, certain controversies have begun to engulf James as he is placed more and more under the microscope (and no, I'm not going to count his wearing a Yankees cap a controversy). As the pressure and scrutiny of not winning a championship has mounted, so have instances of strange behavior from LeBron. The first instance that raised eyebrows was LeBron's "take his ball and go home" attitude after losing to the Orlando Magic in the 2009 playoffs. While the rest of his teammates congratulated Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic, LeBron stormed off the court showing all the traits of a sore loser, not a gracious superstar. Keep in mind, this wasn't the Bad Boy Pistons who did this, it was a guy with a respectable record, the face of the NBA.
In what has become a pattern, LeBron only compounded his error, justifying his actions by saying, "I'm a winner." When this "explanation" fell flat, he had his new PR man, David Stern, apologize for him to the media, and allegedly the Magic and his fans. Clearly, the blow of not winning the title when his team was the overwhelming favorite must have made LeBron not think clearly. One can easily forgive him for being a poor sport once in his career. However, this episode was only the first act in LeBron's strange summer.
The next controversy surrounding the King occurred only a couple of weeks ago, surrounding the Cavs attempt to sign free agent swingman Trevor Ariza. A source close to Ariza disclosed LeBron had personally assured Ariza he would be staying in Cleveland after 2010. However, the source claimed Ariza only saw it as a recruiting tool and the former Laker signed instead with the Rockets. Clearly LeBron and his handlers didn't like this suggestion of a commitment to Cleveland, because later that day sources close to the King rushed to deny that LeBron gave Ariza any such assurance.
Now, why would LeBron be in such a hurry to cause angst among his fan base? Why not let the comment just float in the media and be forgot about the next day in the 24 hour news cycle? Why stoke the flames and only feed the paranoia that you are, in fact, planning on leaving the Cavs after 2010 unless that's what you actually are considering?
How do you think this sequence made Owner Dan Gilbert and the Cavs front office feel? The Cavs have gone all-in with LeBron James, but it looks like the King doesn't want to push his chips to the middle of the table. Why as a franchise invest your livelihood into someone with one foot in Cleveland and one foot in the open market? If you are a teammate, why would you give your all to a team leader who isn't committed to the franchise after the current season; a leader who thus far, has been unable to lead his team to a title and has shown questionable judgment in the face of adversity. Why as a fan rest your hopes and dreams on someone who is not 100% tied to staying until the job is done; who, even if he signs an extension, will always be tempted by the brighter lights of a bigger stage?
And finally today, the latest episode in the summer of LeBron's discontent, the top-secret film of the banned Nike Camp dunk finally came out. This story is without a doubt the most puzzling of Lebron's tumultuous off-season. After being "dunked on" by a Xavier sophomore at a skills camp, LeBron huddled with Nike officials and attempted to confiscate all known videos of the event, so as to not harm what is left of King James invincible image. Instead, the fiasco has only gone to confirm his new image as a paranoid, image-conscious sore loser.
So, what was the big deal? Every basketball fan has seen a thousand more embarrassing dunks; the guys in front of the camera don't even give a reaction on the tape! After his failure in the postseason though, LeBron didn't want to risk taking a hit to his image, so he and Nike tried to cover it up, managing to turn an obscure YouTube clip into a national sports story.
This summer, since losing his best chance so far at a championship, a pattern has been established of LeBron James panicking under adversity. He didn't know how to take losing to Orlando, he jumped at the chance to not commit to a future in Cleveland, and he gave us a window into the lengths he will go to protect his image.
Cavs fans may ask themselves how LeBron will react this year if a rookie like Tyreke Evans actually does put LeBron on a poster, or someone like Kobe Bryant shakes him for a game-winning jumper. Or, in a worst-case scenario, if the Cavs struggle during the season and again fail to win the NBA title, what will LeBron do? Will he try to get Mike Brown fired? Will he walk off the floor on his teammates? Of course these are extreme suggestions, but they are much more realistic after this chain of events.
The King has always stated his goal as winning a championship for Cleveland. But, after the off-court events of the summer, one has to question if becoming a global icon is actually higher on his list of priorities. If that's the case, won't LeBron always be tempted by the brighter lights and bigger stage of New York or L.A., even if he does resign with Cleveland next year. Won't the pressure to win it all in his "hometown" grow on LeBron each successive year until he just can't take it anymore? These are questions LeBron, the Cavs front office, and the fans have to ask themselves. In Part II, I'll lay out the on-court case for the Cavs without LeBron James, that is, if Nike doesn't abduct me first...
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