Thank You LeBron James: Another Talent Squandered in Cleveland

It has been nice to have a player like LeBron James in Cleveland. He has made the franchise relevant. He has led the Cavs to great regular seasons.

James also led Cleveland to their only appearance in the NBA Finals in 2007.

His weak performance in Game 5 against Boston is hard to figure out. His demeanor after the game and the sound bites he gave us (three bad games in a seven year career, spoiled the fans with his play) border on ignorant.

I have always thought that this was LeBron's last year in Cleveland. I have taken some flack from Cleveland fans for saying that, but the economics of the NBA mean that keeping your options open equals less money. LeBron is an uneducated young man that has made a lot of money. He was anointed as the Chosen One, and he has played up to that unreasonable hype for the most part.

He has been let down by Mike Brown who has been learning how to coach while LeBron has given him MVP regular seasons. The roster has improved every year. The problem with that is the roster was really bad in 2007 so the way that squad overachieved gave fans like me a false sense of hope when the players were improved.

The Cavs are a solid regular season team that can run out a twelve man rotation and grind out wins. When it is time to shorten the bench for a playoff run, the role players are exposed for what they are. They are a bunch of followers that need LeBron to do too much.

As the Cavs wind down another disappointing playoff run, I am beset with memories. Next year this team will not have the type of regular season success of the last two years.

There will be no LeBron James. The management of the Cavs has never given him the help that Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, and the Celtics have given their rosters. It will be funny to see LeBron go to New York and struggle under that spotlight, but that is his greener pasture.

The comparisons to Michael Jordan are proving to be wrong. Kobe Bryant is the best player of this generation and LeBron might soon be passed by Kevin Durant as even the Oklahoma City roster is deeper than the Cavs (and Knicks) roster.

After seven years of being a witness, I would compare LeBron James to Charles Barkley. They are both All NBA players and MVP's. They both had to leave their first teams to find playoff success. And when LeBron's contract in New York runs out, and he goes to his third team, they will both be bouncing around the league for that elusive ring.

It is not all LeBron's fault. Anyone who saw him in Game 5 of the 2007 East Finals saw a glimpse of what a special talent he is and can be. Danny Ferry revamped the roster, but did not make the right moves at the right times. He brought in Shaquille O'Neal six months too late. He did not want to give up J.J. Hickson for Amar'e Stoudemire. Now that Hickson has seen his minutes cut, it would have been nice to have had Stoudemire for this series against Boston.

As the Cavs head into Game 6, Cav fans can only hope for the best. I will always remember how good it felt to be relevant. I hope for the best for LeBron James. Thank you for giving Cleveland seven years of your career and you deserved better.

Sadly, Cleveland is where talent goes to squander and with a talent like LeBron James about to bolt for greener pastures, Cleveland fans are left to wonder what is wrong with the pro teams we root for.