LeBron James' Decision For Miami

By Douglas V. Gibbs

The night before LeBron James, the Cleveland Free Agent, decided to take his basketball skills to Miami, I was asked what I thought his decision would be.

I believed New York was out of the question because the state income tax would cost James an additional $12 million if he had an identical contract to the one in Cleveland. New Jersey and the Clippers in Los Angeles are too small to afford him, or attract him. Chicago was appealing because in James' attempt to become the greatest NBA player ever, why not go to the team that gave us the current reigning greatest player, Michael Jordon? But, in the end, Chicago was an outside shot. The two remaining possibilities was staying in Cleveland, or going to Miami. I chose that he would stay in Cleveland.

I thought LeBron James had at least a little bit of class, despite making his decision a big hype-filled event.

Miami would be his best choice, however. No state income tax, great weather, beaches, and the best opportunity to win a championship ring since Wade and Bosh would be his teammates. But, he would have to take a cut in pay, and I didn't think his ego could handle sharing the spotlight with two other stars.

I thought LeBron also had a sense of loyalty to Cleveland.

The signs point that this joining of stars in Miami was the plan all along. The three players, Wade, Bosh and James, were drafted the same year, and ensured their contracts all expired the same year. They knew they would have the opportunity to join together on a team of their choice. The Miami Heat became that team.

I think their plan will back-fire.

Though I enjoy basketball, and love football, my main sport of choice is baseball. And in baseball, the greatest stories come not from the championships bought, but the championships earned. The hunger of young teams without stars working together is the greatest stories of accomplishment. The 2002 Angels of Anaheim had no stars, just a family of players that worked together and achieved baseball's greatest crown. This year we see the same recipe in San Diego and Tampa.

The Miami Heat will lack the hunger.

With three stars are battling for the spotlight the Heat will assume they will win. They will go into games lightly because their egos will dictate such. They will assume the Finals is theirs. As a result they will lack the kind of hunger that drives teams to greatness. Less talented teams with greater desire will dismantle the smug basketball players of Miami. While believing they are among the NBA's elite, it will end with Miami's thrilling threesome being less than thrilling in the end.

Miami's season may end without a playoff berth.

The teams with the hunger are Boston (to seek what they lost in 2010), the Lakers (to seek a three-peat) and Oklahoma City (as close to the hunger of the 2002 Angels as you can get).

Cleveland will seek to rebuild.

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