Yahoo.com reporter Marc Spears spoke with many several NBA coaches on Thursday night following LeBron James' announcement to play for the Miami Heat. Several coaches felt sorry for the Cleveland Cavaliers for losing James, other coaches Spears also interviewed Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey, who grew up in Cleveland, still rates Modell No. 1. “I think moving the franchise...
Yahoo.com reporter Marc Spears spoke with many several NBA coaches on Thursday night following LeBron James' announcement to play for the Miami Heat.
Several coaches felt sorry for the Cleveland Cavaliers for losing James, other coaches
Spears also interviewed Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey, who grew up in Cleveland, still rates Modell No. 1.
“I think moving the franchise is a bigger crime,” Morey said. “To me, it’s hypocrisy if teams put some sort of value judgments on where players choose to go, but at the same time were negotiating hard for their contracts to go the other way.”
While the Heat now have three All-Stars and shooter Mike Miller(notes) also could join them, Nelson said the test will come when Miami tries to add some big men.
“They got to get some size,” Nelson said. “I think people expect too much because they have three great players, but you still need size in this league. They’d have to accumulate that, but they’ll be a fun team to watch.”
The heat is on in Miami
Miami Herald columnist Israel Gutierrez writes on how the city of Miami is going to have so much fun now that LeBron James will join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Heat.
Heat games will be the place to be to see great dunks, cool spin moves and all of the highlights that will appear on ESPN during the season.
And Gutierrez writes that Bosh, Wade and James equals a championship.
The arguments against this Heat team, regardless of how it rounds out, being a contender right off the bat is complete nonsense.
These words actually came out of Jon Barry's mouth during the hourlong James special announcing his decision: ``It depends on the people they're going to get around them.''
Huh?
So, the Lakers didn't win because Kobe Bryant is the most versatile scorer in the game or because Pau Gasol is the most skilled big man, but because of everybody else's abilities?
That's like saying special teams win championships in football. A field goal can win a game, but a team doesn't build around a kicker.
Miami history
LeBron James is the biggest arrival in South Florida's sports history, writes Miami Herald sports columnist. Even bigger than Shaquille O'Neal. Even bigger than Dwyane Wade, who didn't make the list.
3. Jimmy Johnson, 1996 January: Dolphins hire local favorite and three-time champion (1987 Hurricanes and 1992-93 Cowboys) to coach Dolphins.
4. Pat Riley, 1995 September: With four ``Showtime Lakers'' championship rings sparking, Riley is lured from New York Knicks to take over as Miami coach and put young Heat franchise on national map for first time.
5. Don Shula, 1970 February: The Dolphins lure from Baltimore a highly respected young coach whose seven-year record with the Colts was 71-23-4.
Next chapter
Justice Hill of RealClearSports.com wants to know what now for Cleveland Cavaliers fans? What now since LeBron James has moved on to the Miami Heat?
So, in front of ESPN cameras and edgy emotions, James cast his lot with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to form an All-Star lineup that might bring James the title he couldn't win in Cleveland. But his decision to leave surely undid the affection the people in his hometown felt for him.
Oh, and one more thing his joining the Miami Heat did: It showed how little class James had.