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July 9, 2010

R-E sportswriters weigh in on Lebron

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NBA —

James Cook: No crowning the Heat - yet

A Facebook status was circulating on Thursday before Lebron James' announcement. It jokingly said there was a new LeBron version of the iPhone coming out.

The punchline? It only vibrated — because it didn't have any rings.

That punchline won't change in the next year.

The fact remains that something bad will have to happen for Kobe Bryant and his Los Angeles Lakers to not win a third straight title, no matter how many max contracts the Miami Heat accumulate.

With only two returning players under contract (guard Mario Chalmers and forward Michael Beasley), the Heat now face a unique predicament of having to assemble the remainder of a 15-player roster with less than a million dollars of cap space. Of course, the NBA's salary cap is about as limber as an Olympic gymnast.

The Boston Celtics had the closest assembly of three premier players in Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce after trading for both Garnett and Allen in the same summer in 2007. The difference is that the Celtics already had quite a few role players in house — including Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, Tony Allen, Leon Powe and P.J. Brown, and added veterans James Posey and Sam Cassell with cap exemptions.

Miami will be the most talented team from players 1-3, but every other team in theeven also-rans such as Toronto and Memphis — will likely be better from 4-15.

And if Pat Riley decides to come out the team president's office and fire Erik Spoelstra to take over coaching duties of his newly-minted three-headed monster, it will be a more pathetic act than LeBron abandoning his home state.

The Heat will have to fill out 10 roster spots with minimum-salary players, putting them in the precarious position where one serious injury to one of their stars could severely undermine a whole season.

With the wear and tear on Dwyane Wade's body from his physical style of play and Chris Bosh's relatively thin build, the Heat are as close to burning out as they are from burning bright.

Mike Eckert: Many lose in giant spectacle

I thought actions spoke louder than words. Clearly that rule doesn't apply to the world of sports.

Thus far, the two moments that have defined this year — at least in the sporting world — have involved a single camera panned on an athlete, as he talked.

It wasn't a game-winning shot or a miracle comeback. It was words being spoken.

As the world waited to hear LeBron James announce he'd join the Miami Heat on Thursday, it felt similar to Tiger Woods' first press conference back in February. One of the most recognizable athletes in the world talking about what they've been going through over recent days.

While James' moment Thursday didn't have quite the somber tone off when Woods spoke, it did result in a whole lot of people hurt by what was being discussed.

For years, fans have dreamed of landing the self-proclaimed "King James" on this day. I doubt I can find a team in the NBA that didn't have fans looking ahead to see how their general manager could cut salary and clear space to land one of the biggest free agent prizes of all time.

Those general managers did the same. Look at the number of teams that scrapped seasons — not a couple of games, but full seasons — to create cap space and make themselves an attractive place for James to spend the rest of his 20's and probably the prime of his career.

Miami won. Everybody else lost. Let the reeling begin.

New York tried to win James over with the lights and attention of the biggest city in the world while New Jersey tried to piggy-back on that same mentality. Chicago pitched the youngest and possibly most title-ready squad among the suitors. And Cleveland begged him to find it in his heart to help his hometown finally break through and win what now feels like an elusive title.

But South Beach and playing with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh trumped all. And Chicago, Cleveland, New York and New Jersey may never recover to the elite level — at least in this era.

So now what?

For years, the biggest story in the NBA has been where LeBron James would end up in the summer of 2010. It wasn't the games being played, but looking ahead to the future.

Games will be played, but will anyone really care? Or does this whole process start over anticipating where James will go post Miami?

Actions may speak louder than words, but talk is just more interesting.

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