basketball player of all time. " data-reactid="16">LeBron Raymone James is my favorite basketball player of all time.
I speak a lot in hyperbole, but this is not hyperbole. This is only a fact. There is no athlete who has ever done things that I enjoyed watching more of him. I have discussed with strangers online for years about its greatness. And I, a LeBron champion too, will admit that “The Decision” was, in fact, a bad decision.
I’m not referring to him going to Miami – the Heatles were a blast. I refer to the production itself. It was unnecessarily drawn and embarrassing, LeBron looked uncomfortable and unprepared, and it proved insensitive to drop that bomb on your home team as the whole universe watched him announce that he would bring his talents to South Beach.
LeBron James’ actual decision to go to Miami was not a bad decision, but LaJethro Jenkins has problems with the way it went down. (Photo by Larry Busacca / Getty Images for Estabrook Group)
So, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Decision, we want to go back in the summer of 2010 and give everyone the chance to see what could have happened if LeBron had not only made a better decision on the airing of the Decision, but has completely changed his decision.
That summer LeBron took on six teams; the clubs believed they had had a real hit outside Miami were the Knicks, the Cavs and the Bulls. LeBron wanted to go to a place where he could win. The other two contenders were reportedly the Clippers and the nets, but if you had added both of their turns together you wouldn’t have had a playoff team. They were fortunate to enter the room.
The Knicks were trained by Mike D’Antoni and had the space needed for the hat, but they only won 29 games the year before – nice but not good enough. LeBron had already given Cleveland the first seven years of his career with limited post-season success, so it was time to make a change.
basketball cities in the country, and it’s the third-largest media market. In this scenario, LeBron decides to go to the Bulls and persuades his BFF Dwyane Wade to join him. He also decides to veto The Decision idea after having a prescient nightmare about the aftermath. So, he assembles a championship-ready team in the Windy City, but what happens to Chris Bosh?" data-reactid="45">This leaves us with the Bulls. Chicago had a team with Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and hat space to grab another star. Chicago was historically one of the best basketball cities in the country and is the third largest media market. In this scenario, LeBron decides to go to the Bulls and convinces his best friend Dwyane Wade to join him. He also decides to veto the idea of Decision after having a prescient nightmare about the consequences. So, he brings together a team ready for the championship in the City of the Wind, but what happens to Chris Bosh?
NBA free agency. In our alternative timeline, this pact is broken, and Bosh is pissed. He’s tired of paying the exorbitant taxes that come with playing in the NBA’s lone Canadian outpost, and this was supposed to be his chance to win big. He refuses to wait any longer and is not only set on getting out of Toronto, he wants to exact revenge on his former friends. “data -eagid =” 46 “> In real life, LeBron, Wade and Bosh promised during the 2008 Olympics to make a joint decision on the free agency NBA 2010. In our alternative timeline, this pact is broken, and Bosh tired of paying the exorbitant fees that come from playing in the lonely Canadian outpost of the NBA, and this should have been his chance to win big. He refuses to wait any longer and is not just ready to leave Toronto, he wants exact revenge on his former friends.
In our alternative reality Chris Bosh is excluded from the 2010 free trade agency plans of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, and he is not happy. (Photo AP / Eugene Hoshiko)
The Lakers were another desired destination of Bosh in 2010, but they didn’t have space for hats. In our multiverse, Raptors and Lakers agree on an exchange agreement that swaps Bosh with Pau Gasol, who eventually manages to play alongside his brother Marc.
NBA Finals matchup in 2009 and 2010, but didn’t see it due to the Cavs’ lack of firepower. In 2011, it’s ripped away from us again when the Mavericks win the Western Conference and eventually the title with the kid from Akron, Ohio, barfing all over himself under pressure. " data-reactid="74">In 2009 and 2010 we said goodbye to a possible meeting between Kobe Bryant and LeBron NBA Finals, but we didn’t see it due to the lack of firepower of the Cavs. In 2011, we are ripped off again when the Mavericks win the Western Conference and eventually the title with the boy from Akron, Ohio, who gets rid of himself under pressure.
In 2012, LeBron becomes a man and wreaks havoc in the league, but he despises to play with coach Tom Thibodeau. So GM LeBron persuades D’Antoni to push a buyout to New York and come to the Bulls, where he was reportedly interested in going before taking the Knicks job.
The Lakers make a move on Chris Paul and agree to give up Andrew Bynum in an agreement that also includes Lamar Odom and a draft choice. This brings Paul to Los Angeles, giving the Lakers what was rightfully theirs until David Stern closed it in 2011. This brings the two biggest league stars on a certain collision course for not just a series of Finals. but a trilogy that extends from 2012-14. Chills.
After a first stumble, in our sporting multiverse, we get an epic LeBron trilogy vs. Kobe NBA Finals. (Illustration by Yahoo Sports by Mo Haidar and Amber Matsumoto)
Before continuing, I want to acknowledge Achilles’ injury in Kobe’s real life in 2013. He fought so hard that year trying to drag his team into the playoffs. Having some help could prevent or at least delay the injury so you can have the chance to see Kobe extend his formidable years.
basketball. " data-reactid="98">It’s a similar case with Rose’s ACL injury in the 2012 playoffs. He probably doesn’t win the 2011 MVP with LeBron on board – Dwight Howard gets it that year – but getting Thibs out of Chicago and the lightened workload would have almost certainly prolonged the apex of Rose, allowing an incredible basketball.
Also, if you’re wondering what happens to Bynum … falls in love with New Orleans’ musical culture, quits the game after another couple of seasons and pursues his new passion for saxophone. His Christmas album ranks there with “Miracles” by Kenny G. It is his magnum opus.
When it comes to who wins, I turn to the Bulls’ win in 2012 and 2014 and the Lakers in 2013. LeBron had to make up for 2011, and he and Wade were too dominant that year. The same goes for 2013, but it’s hard to imagine that Bean has lost two years in a row and lost the chance to tie Michael Jordan’s ring count against the Bulls. We saw him drop a 60 hamburger on his way out. Kobe almost always did Kobe things when it was time to do Kobe things, and we see something herculean in 2013.
In 2014 Wade is not as good, but Kobe is also older and a LeBron-Rose tandem does. Unexpectedly, a late 2011 choice named Jimmy Butler proves to be of great help for that series too.
What is the fallout? How does the league look? Not much is different.
The Warriors dynasty still happens, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson change the game, but more importantly, LeBron comes home, we still have the epic 2016 Finals and Cleveland gets his Larry O’Brien Trophy. His years in Chicago crystallized the importance of bringing a chip to the home team. Including regardless of its success, Chicago belonged to Jordan. It was crucial to make Cleveland his.
The most interesting thing is how we discuss these players. Kobe now has six rings, his last fight against LeBron. LeBron with two tokens against a GOAT while playing in the house built by Jordan. Chris Paul now has a ring and maybe more if he’s still there when LeBron arrives in 2018.
How does this affect their legacies? Who knows? All I know is that those matchups would have been legendary. Almost legendary as an Andrew Bynum Christmas album. Like I said, it was his magnus opus.
