Agree completely with Lebron.

It's a shame that with the social media world we live in, we nitpick the tiniest things about players like Lebron now - the tiniest things become (improperly) the biggest issues.

As Lebron says, he has conducted himself with he utmost professionalism and maturity throughout his career (save for minor slip ups here and there) and we should appreciate that.

I honestly can't put my hand on my heart and say that with the money, fame and everything that Lebron has, I would be able to act and carry myself in the way he does. I wouldn't be able to do it.

I agree with almost everything that Charles Barkley said and I don't think anyone can really deny that what he said is correct. Whether you like Charles or not, the facts are the facts.

"Inappropriate. Whiny. All of the above," Barkley said of James last week
So LeBron came out and complained to the media that the front office needed to make some moves if they wanted to repeat. He complained that they weren’t good enough to go back to back. REGARDLESS of whether that is true or not true, what kind of message does that send to your teammates?
It’s like when you don’t have bodies. It’s tough," James said. "The [expletive] grind of the regular season. We’re a top-heavy team. We have a top-heavy team. We top-heavy as [expletive]. It’s me, [Kyrie Irving], [Kevin Love]. It’s top-heavy.” ...
James added the team needs “a [bleeping] playmaker. I’m not saying you can just go find one, like you can go outside and see trees. I didn’t say that.”

Tristan Thompson was p!$$ed, you can see his response on twitter.

But seriously, what an absolutely deplorable teammate.

"The Cleveland Cavaliers, they have given him everything he wanted. They have the highest payroll in NBA history. He wanted J.R. Smith last summer, they paid him. He wanted [Iman] Shumpert last summer. They brought in Kyle Korver. He's the best player in the world. Does he want all of the good players? He don't want to compete? He is an amazing player. They're the defending champs."

Correct, correct and correct. Can I also add that they overpaid Tristan Thompson because LeBron wanted him as well? The same guys that he now says aren’t good enough? Because the Cavs are top-heavy? Give me a spell.

We’re over it now but the other reference was when Barkley called LeBron’s TV 'Decision’ a ‘punk move’. I think we all agree that it was.

LeBron’s response was personal. He took aim at Barkley’s private life and brought up mistakes that Barkley had made years and years ago. Classy.

He’s never been in trouble with the law. On the outset he seems to be a good Father and Husband. He’s one of the best we’ll ever see. But can you really argue with Barkley on this one? It’s his job to comment on the best players of our game. It’s his job to give his opinion. He didn’t get personal, he spoke about his opinion, which many would agree, was actually right.

Be careful, Trump might see this and tweet an angry response at 3am in the morning.

Whilst I'd admit that Lebron can whinge sometimes, my position is that is almost a forced reaction thanks to GSW and the makeup of the NBA in the modern era.

Yes, Lebron wanted Player "X", "Y" and "Z"; but is that really unreasonable?

Let's not beat around the bush here and pretend everything in the NBA is all rosy with those old sentiments that Lebron can and should just try do it alone.

Those days of the NBA are gone; if you're Lebron, and you're trying to beat a team with Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, you need a full house and you need to spend.

It's the nature of the NBA and the evolution of the superteam.

If you're in the NBA as a superstar player and you don't make demands/force your owners hand to upskill and strengthen a team; guess what..you're not winning championships anymore (unless you get a fortunate situation like GSW got).

In addition to my point, Lebron is going to these lengths because at the end of the day it all comes back to him.

Any loss and he will cop it all; when the pressure is on us individually, we all naturally go extra lengths than ordinary. It's the same reason a CEO will go 10 x the effort of an ordinary staff employee. If it blows up, it comes back to the CEO, not John Smith who works as a stevedore.

MACDUB,

The desire to get better is not unreasonable at all. What is unreasonable is continually demanding things from your front office that a near impossible to deliver BECAUSE of the things that you have demanded in the past.

"The Cleveland Cavaliers, they have given him everything he wanted. They have the highest payroll in NBA history. He wanted J.R. Smith last summer, they paid him. He wanted [Iman] Shumpert last summer". Call me crazy for quoting Charles Barkley but the facts are the facts.

Throw in Tristan Thompson and the Cavs have committed a large proportion of their cap to keep the guys that, guess who, LeBron demanded they keep. You can't pay for the guys you want and demand cap flexibility as well.

They've traded a first round pick for Kyle Korver because LeBron demanded more help. Then he loses his mind to the media, demands a play-maker and tells the world that his current teammates outside of Kyrie and Love are not good enough to win a Championship. The irony in him belittling the Front Office directly to the media when pretty much every decision they've made has been because that is what LeBron wanted.

He's an immature, spoiled brat. Hell of a basketball player. Hell of a whiner.

What seems to be missing in all of this is that they had a competent back up point last season in Delly. They didn't match his salary (fine, whatever) but then they didn't replace him with anyone, better or worse, at all. That is terrible recruiting and was blatantly obvious to everyone. I can understand LeBron's frustration with that.

Steph Curry wants an All Star and one of the best players in the game in Durant = no one blames Steph

Lebron wants a 2nd string PG = everyone loses their mind.

Sure the Cavs spend a lot but Id be interested to know how much dollars Lebron brings in to the organisation by himself. The NBA has changed..its the era of the superteams. Blame GSW for the recent movement.

AK-47,

I'd also make the moot point that the Cavs won the ship last year. Lebron's demands and the money spent were all worth it. If he bombed out, then he would have looked silly I concede.

He should just come out and say if I never got Blatt axed or never got Shump or Thompson back or never got Love or JR Smith we probably wouldn't have won the ship.

I mean he could plausibly say that couldn't he?

My point being is that you can't really criticise a guy for making calls when he is fresh of calls that won him a championship. No one criticises a HC as much after they win a ship?

MACDUB,

You've completely missed the point so I'll address your points and then re-iterate mine again.


"I'd also make the moot point that the Cavs won the ship last year. Lebron's demands and the money spent were all worth it. If he bombed out, then he would have looked silly I concede."

Nobody denied that these guys helped them win the championship. Moot point would be correct.

"He should just come out and say if I never got Blatt axed or never got Shump or Thompson back or never got Love or JR Smith we probably wouldn't have won the ship."

See previous response.

"My point being is that you can't really criticise a guy for making calls when he is fresh of calls that won him a championship. No one criticises a HC as much after they win a ship?"

I understand your point. Is it relevant at all to what I said? No.

"Steph Curry wants an All Star and one of the best players in the game in Durant = no one blames Steph

Lebron wants a 2nd string PG = everyone loses their mind."

Again, you've missed the point. Nobody is losing their mind because LeBron wants 'a 2nd string PG'. We are losing our mind because of the approach he took through the media and his comments about most of his teammates.

Let me explain again.

My opinion is that LeBron is out of line for calling out his front office through the media.

My opinion is that LeBron is out of line for demanding through the media that the front office gets a '2nd string PG' when they are practically incapable of making moves because of their lack of cap flexibility, which happens to coincide with LeBron getting the guys he wants paid.

My opinion is that LeBron is out of line for saying that his teammates outside of Kyrie and Love are not good enough to win a Championship.