Cleveland is More Than LeBron James and Now Has The Chance to Prove it
The Indians are in first place and just acquired some amazing relief pitching, the Browns are making The Office parody videos and carrying themselves with serious swagger for a team that didn’t win a game last year but is poised to make huge improvements this season. Even the Cavs, led by rookie Collin Sexton, aren’t that bad.
I said I was going to be mad about LeBron leaving and I was…for a short while.
If LeBron leaves I’m trashing him. Sorry not sorry.
— Zach Shafron (@ZachOnCST) July 1, 2018
Of course, this entire city was grateful for him returning and winning us a championship, but there was nothing that said he HAD to leave Cleveland. Like, he could’ve re-signed here and finished his career here as everyone originally assumed, but he chose a different route.
LeBron is all about his brand and is a businessman first at this point. But you know who cares about LeBron’s money? LeBron. Not the pundits, not the media and not the fans. If his Los Angeles Lakers do not perform well, if he does not win a title, then this move to the Western Conference will go down as a failure when it’s all set and done.
At some point, LeBron has to decline. I think?
There are benefits to James leaving Cleveland. I was tired of this city being defined by one man when there is so much good within our other two major sports franchises and just the city in general. Additionally, the Cavs can start a rebuild or semi-rebuild (whatever you want to call it).
LeBron is going to be a billionaire and he won’t have to beat the Warriors or Houston to achieve that feat. But if his move to LA had any basketball basis behind it, the Lakers must have some pretty big plans when their biggest signing along with James is Rajon Rondo.
Cleveland is fine.
We have Frankie Lindor, Jose Ramirez and then Baker Mayfield and Josh Gordon. We’ll see another run to the postseason this fall and a football team that isn’t a joke anymore. Maybe, we’ll even see a flash of success from a new-look Cavs team.
The media will never give LeBron a free pass now that he went to LA. Moreover, Lakers fans used to winning titles with Kobe and Shaq will expect championship or bust. They’re already trashing murals of him. If he stayed in Cleveland, he could lose every year until retirement and be the hero by carrying his team.
Best of luck, LeBron. But we are more than you. It took me a few weeks to realize it, but I’m ready for the future here.
Image: ESPN
