Why LeBron James's Legacy Is Far From Tarnished

I would like to start off this article today with my sympathy to the fans, and the city of Cleveland.

The way he embarrassed the organization on national television was quite immature on his part, and I'm not sure if he will be forgiven for this act anytime soon.

But I have to say, I am tired of this nonsense. Two days later, LeBron James is being portrayed as a whole new human being.

Him joining the Miami Heat with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh has ended conversations of being ever considered as one of the leagues greats?

That crosses the line for me.

He also is the one receiving all the blame for his departure in Cleveland, despite what he accomplished there in the beginning of his career.

People, let's give it a rest.

The man is only 25 years old, and has a long career ahead of him.

Though I believed it would have been nice for LeBron to continue his career in Cleveland, he thought otherwise, and I can't blame him for his decision.

He joins not only two of his closest friends, but two of the league's brightest stars, and creates one of the best trios to ever be created in the NBA.

For those who say he joined his team because he can't win on his own, part of that is right.

He was never going to win as long as he stayed with the Cavaliers. He's in the league seven years, and has no championships.

It is clear he was going to do whatever it took to win. He understands that stars are needed to be around him for him to succeed.

In last night's introduction, LeBron realizes this is Dwyane Wade's town in Miami.

Is Wade Batman, and King James is Robin? I believe we have to wait and see, before we judge him in this rare situation.

We don't know who is going to take the last shot each game. But what we do know is these three guys will hit a slump at points during their tenure in Miami, and one will have to pick up the load.

Why wouldn't LeBron James be able to do it? His talent alone is one of the best we have ever seen in the game, and with the two stars around him, it makes his job that much easier.

The media is quick to criticize LeBron joining these two stars, yet we ignore that Dwyane Wade is in a similar situation.

Of course he has the advantage of having a title, but we saw this year that Wade wouldn't have been able to win under these circumstances.

He is a smart man. If a rare talent like LeBron would join him, Wade would take that deal any day.

I believe all three of these man will make sacrifices, but Wade is not shy of letting James take over a game either—in the regular season or the playoffs.

For now, regarding LeBron's legacy, I compare it to Kobe Bryant of a few years ago.

Kobe faced the pressure winning championships without Shaq in his corner.

With the additions of Artest, Gasol, and others, Kobe is able to do that.

This is how LeBron will be judged in my eyes. I won't end the conversations of LeBron being among the league's greatest players until we see his entire career play out.

Who knows how long he will be in a Miami Heat uniform?

LeBron will have multiple titles once the contract comes to an end at Miami.

He'll have one more chance at getting a huge paycheck. By this time, who knows if he has a change of heart.

LeBron could be open to be taking a team on his own to the finals, and prove the doubters wrong. Time will tell how many championships he wins, with and without Wade/Bosh.

I didn't want to attack the city of Cleveland in any way, but I have my opinion of Dan Gilbert's letter, and I have to let it out.

My thoughts: Gilbert has points I have to agree on, but he came off as a whiner who clearly didn't get his way, and the immaturity is just as bad as LeBron's in the whole sequel.

I always admit when credit is due. It was good for the owner to stand up for his team and fan base. Some of his argument is valid.

The idea of LeBron, or his brand, not giving the remaining teams hours notice of the decision was not the right thing to do.

However, his accusations of him quitting on the Cavs is unjustified.

I don't see any reason why LeBron would quit, in an attempt to have an excuse to leave Cleveland.

He led the Cavaliers to the best record in the Eastern Conference, and his supporting cast was not there to carry the load.

Yet again, hasn't it always been that way?

Look no further than a few years ago, when LeBron scored the team's last 25 points against the Detroit Pistons, which led to LeBron's first NBA Finals appearance.

Whether Cleveland fans want to admit it, it has always been that way. Okay, so the front office did give an effort of putting talent around LeBron James.

Though, it was never enough for LeBron to win a championship.

The acquisition of Shaq was a disappointment from the start. He is way past his prime, and wasn't much better than what Big Z was in Cleveland.

Also, I was never a fan of Antawn Jamison, and thought he was overrated. He put up good stats on an awful Wizards team, and fell off once he came to Cleveland.

They missed out on an opportunity to land Amare Stoudemire, and didn't give up the pieces that would have taken to got him.

He would have been the complementary star that LeBron needed, along with the role players that did as much as possible last season.

"He quit," Gilbert said. "Not just in Game Five, but in Games Two, Four, and Six. Watch the tape. The Boston series was unlike anything in the history of sports for a superstar."

Then I must ask, why would you even consider bringing him back? If he was a quitter, and no where near a leader on this Cavs team, what is the thought process of giving LeBron a maximum contract with these accusations at hand?

Gilbert said LeBron's betrayal was not a good example for kids everywhere. Well, neither was your rant that makes you come off as a little kid crying for not getting a toy he wanted for Christmas.

LeBron James might have handled the situation poorly, but Dan Gilbert stooped down to the level of an angry fan base.

I am defending LeBron James, because he doesn't deserve all of the heat and comparisons he is receiving.

He is a young man who made a decision that benefits him, whether the average NBA fan likes it or not.

The King made a irrelevant franchise one of the best teams in the league the last few years, which included trips to the Eastern Conference and NBA Finals.

Now,  LeBron begins a new chapter in his life, where he expects to win championships in the city of Miami.

As for his legacy? Time will tell how we remember LeBron James, and hopefully it will all work out in the end for Cleveland's former hero.

Matt Miselis is a Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com, who has covered Lebron James throughout the free agency period of 2010.

Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/MattMiselis