Jun 12, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) reacts during the third quarter of game four of the 2014 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Well we have another player that added himself to the NBA Free Agency Market. Sounds boring huh? Well let me start over then. LeBron James has opted out of his contract with the Miami Heat and is now an unrestricted free agent. Oh NOW I got your attention.
No one is surprised that LeBron James opted out of his contract, even the Miami Heat knew this was coming. The only thing that surprised me was that he was the first of the “Big Three” to opt out. Maybe he didn’t want Carmelo Anthony to take all of the headlines. Maybe he wanted some of his own.
With LeBron James out on the free agency trail once again, the Chicago Bulls are mentioned as a potential suitor for LeBron James’ services. I have one thing to say about any rumor or scenario of LeBron James ever getting into a Chicago Bulls uniform…
I have a better chance of playing for the Chicago Bulls and I’m 41 years of age with knees and ankles so bad, I can tell you when the rain is coming to Chicago better than any weather person.
This is not 2010 Pippen Peoples! This is not the time when the Bulls actually HAD the money to actually go after LeBron James. The Bulls don’t have the money to sign him. It’s not going to happen. LeBron did not opt out to get a four-year 96 million dollar deal. He is going after the money train, trust me.
This ain’t Carmelo Anthony here, desperate trying to chase a ring. LeBron James has gone to the last four NBA Finals and won two championships from the Dwyane Wade’s “I Want A Ring” Foundation. The Bulls are not going to sell a bill of goods about taking less money to build a championship contender.
But don’t feel bad Pippen Peoples. LeBron James is in no danger of ever coming to Chicago and taking them over the top. Here’s why…
1) The statue of the bald guy in front of the United Center is not me, but maybe the best player of all time.
Did anybody see LeBron James in this year’s NBA Finals? Now think back a little bit. Did anybody see LeBron James in the NBA Finals three years ago? Okay forget 2007, we’ll give him a pass. When the pressure gets too great, LeBron crumbles like two-week old cookies. LeBron James CANNOT deal with the pressure of being in the shadow of Michael Jordan.
Let’s talk about the Bermuda Triangle influence of Michael Jordan for a second. He retired from the Bulls in 1998. He still is the biggest draw in Chicago. Like NOW! He is revered in a way that is so incredible that most fans give him a slide on his two years playing in Washington. Now they won’t let him slide as an executive but you can’t win them all right? I’m willing to bet Carmelo Anthony asked Michael Jordan on how it is to be a celebrity in Chicago. Who else is he going to ask, Oprah?
If LeBron James did come to Chicago, he would have to deal with this phrase every day for his career in Chicago…
“You’re a great basketball player LeBron, but you’re no Michael Jordan.”
LeBron James has one flaw in his game that keeps him from being head and shoulders in front of everyone else in the NBA. Michael Jordan didn’t have it. Kobe Bryant didn’t have it. That’s why he is probably closest to being Jordan-like. LeBron James is sensitive. He actually cares what people think of him and of what he says. He lets people’s criticisms get to him when things aren’t going well. LeBron James regresses. Michael Jordan is the exact opposite. If he gets criticized, he goes out and proves everyone wrong. He uses the “haters” to motivate him. As we see now it worked to the tune of six rings.
Yeah, sure LeBron can say until he’s blue in the face he wants to be compared to Michael Jordan. Sure! I can say that I want to be compared to Denzel Washington. The Alonzo Harris, Training Day before he got shot up Denzel Washington. That doesn’t mean I know what it takes to BE Denzel Washington. Just Like LeBron James doesn’t know what it takes to be Michael Jordan.
2) Derrick Rose.
The reason why the Miami Heat has been so successful the last four years has more to do with Dwyane Wade than LeBron James. D-Wade had to take a step back and sacrifice some of his game so LeBron could take the lead of the team. If you watched the blowouts of the last three games of the Finals, you noticed something. D-Wade disappeared. The Heat can never win it all without Wade playing well. PERIOD.
D-Wade was one of the top five players of the NBA and already had a ring. Here come LeBron James who has the ego of an insecure actor in Hollywood coming in wanting to be the number one guy. Wade was smart enough to know that he had to back up because if he didn’t, it would affect LeBron’s total game. Thank God, Mr. Earvin Johnson noticed it when the Heat won their titles an brought it to everyone’s attention during the interviews.
Derrick Rose will NEVER do this. At this stage of his career, I don’t think D-Rose will be willing to take a step back and let this be LeBron’s team.
If that was the case, why didn’t he try to recruit LeBron James back in 2010? Before everyone starts with the “Derrick Rose don’t recruit” argument, I’ll say it now. Save it. The man recruited Kirk Hinrich. Kirk Hinrich? At the risk of angering Ashley Wijangco, I ask this question…You don’t make a concerted effort to recruit the best player of this era but you recruit Kirk Hinrich? That speaks volumes right there. Derrick Rose is not going to share the stage with LeBron James. It’s not going to happen. Not to the level of bringing championships to Chicago. No way!
Now with all that being said. You know LeBron James is going to resign with the Miami Heat right? They can give him nine figures. Game over! But it wouldn’t work in Chicago. Not because of the franchise, but because of Lebron.