That was Rich Paul, LeBron James' longtime agent and friend. Miami wasn't even runner-up!
It came down to a closing chapter of leisure playing with buddies Steph Curry and Draymond Green, or, as James himself said in the announcement, wanting the "grind", "to compete, to win...win another championship." So that eliminated Golden State. Shams Charania reported that the last major hurdle James had to clear was getting his family to go along with moving from La-La to South Philly (wonder why that was so hard).
Why did Miami take the bronze medal (if they didn't actually finish fourth)? James thought that the 76'ers were closer to a championship than the "Heat": Joel Embiid, Electric Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and then plop, Jaylen Brown fell into their lap.
Personal opinion now: I don't think there's enough ball to go around in Philly. I wondered about that when they got Jaylen, who loves playing with the ball. Now LeBron. Dude, there's going to be a custody battle and fisticuffs over that ball in Philly. The "Sixers" roster is clunky...and that's assuming Joel Embiid (who also likes the ball) can stay healthy, which he hasn't done his entire career.
These are the "Sixers" five best players now, in alphabetical order: Brown, Edgecombe, Embiid, James, Maxey. You have three guards, a positionless who likes the ball and a post man who's a throwback to bump, bump, bump (with ball), ass in midsection, shoot. I repeat: there's not enough ball. With Joel at least you have a true center. Without him? You have Maxey, Edgecombe, Jaylen, LeBron and somebody. I sincerely worry about Joel's health. God forbid he has anything more than knock ups. But he has had so many basketball injuries. And then he's had Bell's Palsy. Not a basketball injury. Joel has looked to me on the verge of physical collapse during games.
Still on personal opinion: Of course, Miami does not have the talent across the board that Philly had before adding LeBron. But he fit there. Brian Windhorst seconds that opinion and wrote that a front line, what I dubbed a nascent Great Wall, of LeBron, Bam, and Giannis reasonably could be the greatest front line ever put on hardwood. There is zero doubt in my mind that the "Heat" will find shooters. You're going to be able to get shooters. Getting a playmaker, Pat Riley's designated Job One, should be easier than previously, although Miami hasn't had one since Goran Dragic. But the roster even now, without LeBron, has a recognizable basketball shape. That's a team, not just a collection of fan-voted All-Stars. Giannis is all-world. Team him with Bam down low and that's a very formidable defensive and offensive duo. Put simply, there's enough ball to go around on the shores of Biscayne Bay.
Personal opinion conclusion: LeBron made the wrong choice to win another ring. But I honor his decision. 601 Biscayne is reportedly furious. Oh, grow up. I love LeBron to death and hope that if it's not the "Heat" that it's his "Sixers" who win a championship in the next couple of years.
Godspeed, LeBron. 🫶
