Simply LeBron

We have had Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert “The Chief” Parish. MJ, Scottie Pippin and Dennis Rodman. Some would even mention Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. Unfortunately for these nine men, the spotlight has shifted as of Thursday. LeBron James, the L-Train, King James, the Akron Hammer- has joined Draft class of ’03 superstars such as Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh to play for the Miami Heat.

Let’s start with Bosh, who was once deemed the “New Hope” of the Toronto franchise. Bosh, the 4th overall pick of the 2003 draft, has left the Raptors after 7 seasons of leading the team with 20.7 PPG. Bosh gives the squad a big mid-range threat, as well as a lengthy defender and consistent post-up man. Bosh may be considered the third-wheel to Wade and LBJ, but his presence will be felt come October.

Bosh gives LeBron the power forward he has always dreamed of. This next guy gives the King the best Shooting Guard in the Eastern Conference. His name- Dwayne Wade. D-Wade gives LeBron exactly what he has waited for in a 1-2 punch. Wade is an excellent passer, and never gives anything but his best (cough.. Hanley Ramirez). D-Wade and LBJ could make an excellent 1-2 combo by themselves. Adding Bosh to the equation only amplifies the threat of the Miami Heat.

Let me throw an analogy of sorts at you. The Miami Heat are the Michael Jordan- era Bulls. Pippin, Rodman, and MJ run this team, right? Bosh resembles Dennis Rodman, a defensive minded player with a dominating presence on the glass. D-Wade is Scottie Pippin, the humble workhorse. And of course, LeBron is MJ, the best player on the court, no matter who he is playing. All 6 of these men are excellent players, but if you were going to be compared to one of the Bulls, wouldn’t you want it to be Michael Jordan- the best player in NBA history. I’m sure that’s how LeBron feels, and he should. He is arguably became the most dominating presence in the NBA the second he stepped foot on the court.

Here’s where the debate gets heated (get it, Heat-ed?) How will the Heat fare over the next several seasons? Will they be as dominant as they look on paper? And will the three stars be able to accept reduced roles?

Question 1: Will the three stars be able to accept reduced roles?
This is a debate not to be overlooked. One might ask, “They took pay cuts, how would their roles on the team be affected?” It’s simple. All three of these men are used to being THE guy on their respective teams. When you go seven years as the #1 man, a #2 or #3 role might not be what your hoping for. However, I have watched these men play since they came into the league, and that has led me to believe this will work for 2 reasons. 1)Dwayne Wade. A humble leader with a fiery spirit. His leadership will bring this Miami squad together for years to come. (I can see the locker room speeches already- “Well, boys, we lost our first game of the year last night, making us 29-1. Simply put, we need to get our heads straight!”) 2. The idea of playing with LeBron James. He is arguably the best basketball player of his generation, and he makes everyone around him better. That in itself should be enough to keep the Heat motivated as a team.

Will the Heat be as good as they look on paper?
The Miami Heat starting three were 3 of 5 starters for the Eastern Conference All-Stars last year. Combined, the threesome has scored an average of over 70 points per game over the last 7 seasons. In other words, this team should dominate. Whether they will perform to these expectations is up to them, however. If the threesome can accept their roles as teammates (not superstars), it is possible that the Heat can pull together a 65-win season. Not to mention an NBA title. In other words, barring injury, the Heat can be as good as they look on paper.

How will the Heat fare over the next few seasons?
The first season will be a molding year. It will be a lot of getting used to each other. I’d say that will just talent, the Heat can come up with a 55-win season. Once molded, however, the Heat will be a force to be reckoned with. King James will prove Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert wrong. Gilbert guaranteed Cleveland fans a championship before LeBron. Not gonna happen. Miami will take home a ring by 2013. If not, I owe all of my subscribers $5, deal. Hold me to it.

All in all, I can’t wait for the NBA season to get underway. Although no one will give my Nuggets a look, if we can land a solid free-agent Shooting Guard, watch out. It may be early in the summer for predictions regarding next season, but next week will be my article concerning just that.


One last thing. Recently my Uncle, Morgan Bolls had a heart attack. He will be discharged from the hospital today, going home diagnosed with Diabetes. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you.