Well, the LeBronathon is over, and the King has decided to move south and catch some sun and play basketball in Miami along with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. Despite all of the news reports saying James was leaning toward Miami, I really didn’t think he had the bravado to leave home.

But in front of a live audience at the Boys and Girls Club in Greenwich, Conn., he uttered the words that broke hearts in Cleveland and provided an early Christmas present to fans in south Florida.

James mentioned in an interview with Michael Wilbon later that it wasn’t what the Cavaliers did not have but the opportunity to play with great players like Wade and Bosh in the pursuit of championships that was difficult to say no to.

If he wasn’t going to stay in Cleveland, where he’s won 60-plus games the past two seasons, Chicago would have been the best team for James to go play for. A lineup with Derrick Rose, Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah, along with some of the other role players, would have fit well for him, and he could become King of the Windy City.

In Miami, James will have to give up his crown since the city belongs to Wade, but he seems to be ok with that -- and with leaving $30 million-plus on the table by leaving Cleveland.

Now there’s clearly a shuffle of teams in the Eastern Conference. Right now on paper the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat (even without a full roster) look to be the two leading teams in the conference, with Orlando and Chicago in the mix.

Is the Grass Greener?
Will things really be better for James by leaving Cleveland? We’ll know for sure in several more seasons, but I don’t believe the grass is greener in Miami.

The Cavilers weren’t a terrible team; they just needed to figure things out in the postseason. New head coach Byron Scott would have made all the difference, along with a minor change or two to the lineup.

But in reality, it’s the Heat who now have the “Super Friends” who either represent the beginnings of another NBA dynasty or one of the biggest busts in league history.

Whether James expects it or not, it will probably take a couple of seasons for the Heat to make it all work and get to the finals. If they do, James, Wade and Bosh will still have to contend with a strong Lakers team that’s in the midst of its own dynasty.

And I don’t see them dethroning Kobe Bryant and Lakers anytime soon.
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Damon Ford is a former journalist who is now a public relations professional working in the public and private sectors in Charlotte.
 

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