OT: LeBron Opts Out of Contract

Submitted by JeepinBen on

Prepare yourselves. Turn off ESPN (except for live sports programming), mute Twitter, and in general expect to be innundated with obscure, ridiculous, over the top media coverage.

LeBron has opted out of his heat contract. This may just be a way to restructure it to get the Heat more cap space, but he's now a free agent. With Carmelo Anthony opting out too this may just break the HOT TAKES engine.

Everyone Murders

June 24th, 2014 at 9:43 AM ^

The Decision II.  I don't care where he goes, or why.  I just hope there is a big production about him making his decision.  Another TV special, this time with voter participation (text STAY or GO to #555-5555).  Fireworks, and live music from Jay-Z.  3-D broadcast. The whole she-bang.

And I like LeBron James.  I just like a clown circus better.

CAwolverine

June 24th, 2014 at 3:28 PM ^

Glad you know what he meant by his comment. Apparently you missed the first time when the people in his camp (you like that better) guided him down the wrong path and everybody in America except Miami thought he was the biggest ass hat in professional sports. He came off like a complete jackass and his popularity took a hit. I am quite sure that is what was being said, stop looking to instigate shit.

Don

June 24th, 2014 at 11:49 AM ^

should be held in Michigan Stadium. Bring in Beyonce to accompany Jay-Z. Have the Blue Angels do a fly-by. Have LeBron parasail down onto the 50, where he will deliver the Decision live. It'll be a ratings spectacular with a record crowd.

LSAClassOf2000

June 24th, 2014 at 9:44 AM ^

The funniest bit of speculation so far was stirred by the appearance of a tweet from James' wife which was a picture of the state of Ohio with Akron noted on it and some verbiage like "the countdown is real" and a vague hint about coming home. Obviously, there's nothing to show definitely that James would ever set foot in Cleveland again, but clearly it is a sign that LeBron will play tight end for the Zips this coming fall, right?

HartAttack20

June 24th, 2014 at 10:41 AM ^

I used to watch SportsCenter every morning, but I just can't handle all the stupidity now. Ever since Disney took over, the anchors have been trying way too hard to be funny. I'm not sure why this is because they used to be much more subtle with their jokes and some of them were even good. Just show the damn highlights and get off my lawn.

mGrowOld

June 24th, 2014 at 9:51 AM ^

Forget for a second my obvious bias here but did anybody else find Pat Riley's obvious hypocrisy on this issue hillarious?  OK to leave Cleveland during "the Decision - Part I" but not ok to leave Miami?

Have fun Heat fans over the next several weeks while you wait to see what he does.  I wonder if his wife's Instagram post was an actual foreshadowing of him wanting to come back here or something else altogether.

Cavs have the #1 pick, cap room up the wazoo and young talent.  Lebron has two rings and still owns a house here in Bath, Ohio.  Is he thinking of trying to do the impossible and bring Cleveland a championship?  

turd ferguson

June 24th, 2014 at 9:54 AM ^

I really like our Cleveland fans here (including/especially you), so this isn't intended as a personal attack, but after the city of Cleveland's ridiculous reaction to LeBron leaving I'd rather not see them get him now. That reaction just seemed so nasty, childish, and over the top.

turd ferguson

June 24th, 2014 at 11:03 AM ^

I disagree. It's hard to find a fair comparison because he's local to Cleveland/Akron (and because of "The Decision"), but I can't think of any other fan base responding to a player leaving in remotely the same way. Lions fans certainly didn't when Barry Sanders walked away at a horribly inconvenient time (while arguably the NFL's best / highest profile player) and Pistons fans certainly didn't when the NBA's top young star, Grant Hill, left right before we all expected him to enter his prime. Orlando didn't when Shaq left, Seattle and Texas didn't when A-Rod left, and I can't think of a remotely comparable reaction.

Not all fan bases behave exactly the same way, and I'm not at all surprised that a fan base that overlaps as much as this one does with OSU fans is extreme in some ways.

turd ferguson

June 24th, 2014 at 12:00 PM ^

Technically, yes, Hill was traded, but really he agreed to terms with Orlando and the Pistons said, "Well, shit, do you want to give us a couple of bodies and we'll call it a trade?" That definitely wasn't a trade the Pistons wanted to make, though it ended up getting them Ben Wallace (and I think Chucky Atkins). I don't remember the A-Rod situations well enough to comment.

mGrowOld

June 24th, 2014 at 12:34 PM ^

Here's the difference Turd and why there was SO much angst around here when it happened.  Lebron was one of "us" and supposidly understood just how much pain this area has felt sport-wise from repeated agonizing failures to win it all.  He was suppose to be the one to finally lead the city to the championship they've craved for so long and was obviously the best player in the world.

Then the 2010 season rolled around and while Lebron wouldnt talk about his contract during the season he did lead the Cavs to the best record in the NBA and a #1 seed in the playoffs.  Then, in game 5 of the series against Boston, he basically quit on the floor (I was there and seated a couple of rows from his mom Gloria) and watched it first-hand.  It was like he was in a complete and utter fog the whole game and we lost that game and then the series in game 6.  

Then "the Decision" happens at the last possible moment for free agency boxing the Cavs into not being able to sign anybody else and have to hope he would stay at home cause there was no way for a Plan B.  By waiting until he did he pinned the Cavs down from making any other moves that couldve kept them competitive in 2011 so we waited and we hoped.

When it was announced he was making his decision on live TV we were just SURE he was staying put.  No way would a kid from Northern Ohio go on national TV and humiliate the city by announcing he was leaving.  So we held our breath and when he said "I'm taking my talents to South Beach" the area melted down emotionally knowing that the team was screwed and wondering did he tank game against Boston (yes I know the rumors about Gloria and Delonte West) to lose on purpose?  It was like getting kicked in the balls in front of the entire world and it hurt like hell.

The best analogy I can think of would be if at a wedding the best man took the mike and in front of everyone got down on his knee in front of his long-time girlfriend and said "now's as good of a time as any to say this.....I'M BREAKING UP WITH YOU...HA HA HA HA."

So yeah, I DO think just about any other city given the background, the circmustances and how it was done would react the same.  And I really, really, really hope he comes back in spite of it all.

Penders

June 24th, 2014 at 5:31 PM ^

And I really, really, really hope he comes back in spite of it all.

So pathetic. You and Cleveland fans have no principles. It's all about that missing sports tile you need to verify your dreary collective existence.

No, not every city would have reacted the same way. Why? Because not everyone clings for life to a "you're one of US" mentality. Cleveland does because they have an insanely sensitive inferiority complex. Don't put these despicable provincial values on others and don't act like there is a shred of dignity in begging someone to come back (and let me save you the false hope - HE WON'T) after he was already declared persona non grata by the vast majority of your awful city.

 

 

B1G_Fan

June 24th, 2014 at 2:00 PM ^

 Apples to Oranges, Turd.

Sanders retired. It wasn't like he went and played for Chicago for less money.

A-rod Signed the biggest contract in baseball history when he left Seattle.

None of these where covered like Lebron leaving Cleveland.

It's extremely hard to find a legit comparrison when talking about Lebron's decision. Where ever Lebron goes is a contender for a national championship.

JeepinBen

June 24th, 2014 at 9:58 AM ^

The burning of jerseys was one thing, but Dan Gilbert must have spent the last 4 years groveling in the mud Joliet Jake style if he expects Lebron to ever play for him again. Lest we forget the pseudo-slave-owner language that Gilbert used when scorned by Lebron 4 years ago, I can't imagine Lebron wants to go back to that. Plus, they just hired a previously unheard of (if very successful) Euro-League coach who Lebron was reportedly not impressed with.

mGrowOld

June 24th, 2014 at 10:09 AM ^

None taken.  I just had a short debate with a couple of people in my office who were saying they werent quite sure if they wanted to win a championship "that way" if it meant Lebron coming back to the Cavs after the way he left.

I reminded them that this city HASNT WON A FUCKING THING SINCE 1964.  

I was one of the most vocal "haters" you will ever find but I'd take him back in a New York second if he'll come.  He's the best basketball player on the planet and I'm sorry but our chances to win jump exponentially if he's here and I love the Cavs more than I hate Lebron.

All that being said I do wonder if this isnt just another chance to troll the fans here again what with his wife's Instagram post and now this.  Talk about a place losing its collective mind if that happens.......

Wolverine In Exile

June 24th, 2014 at 10:00 AM ^

At this point, Lebron has his two rings and four "The Finals" (TM) appearances in a row. Wade is breaking down, looking like Melo to Chicago. Does Bron's guilt/hubris/irrational desire to be loved by "everyone" think that to cement his "legacy" as the all-time great he can go to Cleveland and try to break a long standing curse by winning a championship with the Cavs? Or 2? Or 3? or 4? (oh stop me now...). I've always been hesitant to the idea LeBron's going anywhere but the easiest path to the finals, but let's be honest, if Derrick Rose isn't Derrick Rose anymore and Indiana can't get mentally tougher / better, is there another team in the Eastern Conference that could challenge ANY team with LeBron right now? Add in Cleveland can pick whoever it needs to compliment LeBron (or trade assets and the pick for other assets... last year's #1 to the Pistons for Greg Monroe? This year's #1 and last year's #1 to Minnesota for Kevin Love?), and if LeBron can be happy with the coach (which by the media reports out of Miami by the end of the year last year, LeBron thought he WAS the coach), why not to Cleveland where he can sandblast out the biggest blotch on his legacy?