Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
People probably chuckle when they hear, “the grass isn’t always greener on the other side,” but that could soon be the reality for LeBron James. That is not to say that he should regret leaving for Cleveland. After all the former MVP is still only four wins away from having to harbor any feelings like that. However he may have run head first into a problem that he tried to run away from.
According to most reports, one of the main reasons James abandoned the Big Three was his dissatisfaction with having to do everything. It became the norm for the Miami Heat to put the ball in the hands of their all-purpose small forward and watch him work.
Call it comfort or the culmination of having to play alongside a sidekick with the knees of an old man. Either way you slice it, the Chosen One was doing too much. Now take a minute and dissect the irony of that statement. This postseason has been called James’ best because of his ability to strap the Cleveland Cavaliers to his back and provide anything that they needed.
If he had to facilitate the offense, he was there. If he had to snatch a rebound, he did it. And if the Cavs needed him to get a bucket — 44 points worth in Game 1 — he made it happen. Almost all without Kevin Love (dislocated shoulder) and the majority missing Kyrie Irving and his newly fractured kneecap.
Can you say déjà vu?
Knee injuries to Dwyane Wade hampered three of the four Heat NBA Finals appearances, but he was still able to get on the court and help will the team to two rings. The younger Irving and his upside are done for three to four months. And if Wade had been unable to go, James would have still had the luxury of having Chris Bosh — unlike Love who is also ruled out until next season.
In hindsight James traded one injury-prone guard on the supposed decline for another with upside. Unfortunately for him, the newer version will not get a chance to help his 2015 championship cause.
Richard Nurse is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @blackirishpr or add him to your network on Google.
