LeBron James headed back to the Cavaliers

[shadowgrin]

if he plays a few more seasons for the Cavs and wins a couple of rings, is anyone really going to remember his stint in Miami?

The Heat organization would, considering LeBron helped give them 2 straight championships and a (current) franchise record of 4 straight Finals appearances and considering fans aren't the one in charge of retiring jerseys...

[Andrew]

People remember Charles Barkley's stint with the Suns, even though he only spent four of his sixteen seasons there (where he had less personal and team success than LeBron did in Miami).

[shadowgrin]

Oscar Robertson spent the last 4 years of his career with the Bucks, won one championship, and his number got retired by the team.

As mentioned before Bill Walton and his 4 years with the Blazers.

Tim Hardaway spent 5 seasons (+28 games if you include the season he was traded for) with the Heat and helped lead them to no championship and his jersey still got retired by the Heat.

[SoF'nAwesome]

I guess it's more of a matter of when more than if. LeBron was the best thing that happened to Heat, period. Whether it's the start of the next season or after LeBron is retired is the real question I guess.

And LeBron did end it very maturely with the Heat organization, so I don't see them holding any grudges.

[Moz]

It's not a matter of whether his jersey should be retired at all, just whether it should be retired in Miami. No question it should be retired in Cleveland when all is said and done.

But really, if he plays a few more seasons for the Cavs and wins a couple of rings, is anyone really going to remember his stint in Miami?

His contributions, achievements, impact, and the franchise' success (as mentioned a lot of times before) while he's "the main guy" is enough reason for that consideration...

Wade was the best thing that happened to Heat, period.

Fixed

[shadowgrin]

The Heat retiring LeBron's jersey while he's still active playing in the NBA is as retarded as not retiring his jersey.

[Andrew]

Yeah, they'll wait until he's retired before they honour him like that.

[air gordon]

The advanced stats were there on the team all-time leaders page on basketball reference, so I figured hey, why not.

Interesting question. With his Miami numbers, LeBron would rank in the Lakers' top ten in three pointers made (ninth), field goal percentage
(sixth), minutes per game (fourth), points per game (first), assists per game (tied fourth with Jerry West) and steals per game (fourth). If you wanted to count the advanced stats as well, he's top ten in nine additional categories; otherwise, it's six categories total. So quite similar to Wilt Chamberlain's tenure with the Lakers, when it's all said and done.

Assuming he still had the same personal accolades, four straight Finals trips, and two championships in this hypothetical tenure with the Lakers...maybe they would retire his jersey. It's possible, probably likely, as it'd be comparable to Wilt's tenure there. As you noted though, the Lakers have been around longer and had many great players play for them over the years, so it's also quite possible that they'd be more selective.

Still, given the historical precedent set with the retirement of Wilt's #13, I could see the Lakers retiring LeBron's #6 if he'd played for them and accomplished what he has in Miami in four seasons. I think they'd also like the fact that they could add another all-time great to the honour roll, so to speak; point to the rafters and say, look at all the greats who played here, and rattle off LeBron's name while pointing to all the jerseys. I think there's a good chance they'd do it.

Best of luck to him

[benji]

State Rep. Bill Patmon is planning to introduce legislation to permit the sale of a commemorative "LeBron James Witness 2.0" plate honoring the Akron native's decision to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"When LeBron came home, it was a big deal for us," the Democrat from Cleveland said. "It might not be for the rest of the world, but it's a big deal for Cleveland."

...

The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles offers more than 150 specialty plates, including one that honors comic book hero Superman that Patmon pushed through the legislature. The Man of Steel was created by two Clevelanders, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, who grew up in the Glenville neighborhood that Patmon represents.

"People from all over country and world called [the BMV] office about the Superman license plate," Patmon said.

[shadowgrin]

Either LeBron James learned how to edit pictures or he's really losing weight.

LeBron James decided to cut carbs this summer & dropped significant weight

what's the reason for dropping weight?

Steroid testing in NBA this year?

there is roid testing

You slurping his shit all day also helped @WindhorstESPN

lol

[_Steve_]

After 33,276 regular season minutes played, every pound less is good for his legs. He's also supposed to play less PF and more SF, so it doesn't hurt his game