Lebron James and Tim Duncan: A tale of 2 choices

[SinBAD]

From Bleacher report
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/418023-lebrons-classless-cleveland-exit-reminds-of-san-antonios-2000-anguish

This just makes one appreciate Timmy even more.I'm proud to be a spurs fan.Class of the NBA without a doubt.

[DesignatedT]

Timmy is the fucking man.

[BruceBowenFan]

Good read, makes you appreciate duncan alot more.

[Obstructed_View]

Duncan probably would have gone to Orlando if they'd allowed his girlfriend on the team plane.

[tdunk21]

timmy is a leader.....

[mystargtr34]

Duncan probably would have gone to Orlando if they'd allowed his girlfriend on the team plane.

:lol +1.. If Duncan hadn't won a championship prior to his FA.. putting him in the same position as LeBron... then he's probably on the first plane out.

Yet LeBron is Hitler/Kim Jong Il for leaving. I feel sorry for the dude.

[Danny.Zhu]

And Spurs repaid him by trading Scola.

[angelbelow]

Lol this is a weak article. Too many bitter haters that its getting annoying.

[Mr Bones]

Duncan joined a team as a rookie that was already very good and featured a future hall of famer & all around classy guy in David Robinson. LeBron has never had a teammate as good as the 1999 version of Robinson, and has never had one that was even close in his seven years with Cleveland, so I don't think it's a fair comparison. Duncan looked at the Spurs and saw a team run by competent people and that gave him a reason to stay. Sorry, but LeBron didn't have that. His best teammate was Antawn Jamison, who isn't nearly as good as Robinson, Manu, Tony, or even Stephen Jackson. He never had a defender as good as Bowen on his team. He was smart to leave.

[m33p0]

Duncan joined a team as a rookie that was already very good and featured a future hall of famer & all around classy guy in David Robinson. LeBron has never had a teammate as good as the 1999 version of Robinson, and has never had one that was even close in his seven years with Cleveland, so I don't think it's a fair comparison. Duncan looked at the Spurs and saw a team run by competent people and that gave him a reason to stay. Sorry, but LeBron didn't have that. His best teammate was Antawn Jamison, who isn't nearly as good as Robinson, Manu, Tony, or even Stephen Jackson. He never had a defender as good as Bowen on his team. He was smart to leave.

so you're saying it's okay to leave when your team sucks

[Mr Bones]

so you're saying it's okay to leave when your team sucks

Yes. If they've had seven years to give you a couple of really good sidekicks, and failed miserably, yes, yes, yes. If LeBron had the equivalent of Manu, Tony, and Bruce Bowen circa 2005 around him, there is no way he would have left.

[angelbelow]

so you're saying it's okay to leave when your team sucks

Its a business dude. There are 2 things players chase the most - money and championships. I'm glad our Spurs are mainly championship chasers.. well now Lebron is trying to do the same.

[alchemist]

:lol +1.. If Duncan hadn't won a championship prior to his FA.. putting him in the same position as LeBron... then he's probably on the first plane out.

Yet LeBron is Hitler/Kim Jong Il for leaving. I feel sorry for the dude.
Most of the people pissed off at Lebron are mad because of how he handled things. The smaller amount are bitter (mostly Laker fans for some odd reason) because he's teaming up with Wade and Bosh.

[lefty]

so you're saying it's okay to leave when your team sucks
If you work your ass off for 7 years and nothing happens because you have a shitty head coach and pussified teammates, then yes

[m33p0]

fine... it's a business. i get that part. but is it also okay to do in a 1-hour special? it's like watching a virgin getting raped live on tv. maybe not to that extent. it's still shitty how he did it.

[lefty]

fine... it's a business. i get that part. but is it also okay to do in a 1-hour special? it's like watching a virgin getting raped live on tv. maybe not to that extent. it's still shitty how he did it.
:lol

[angelbelow]

fine... it's a business. i get that part. but is it also okay to do in a 1-hour special? it's like watching a virgin getting raped live on tv. maybe not to that extent. it's still shitty how he did it.

lol well no argument there. I think hes a douche for having that one hour special. Even if his intentions were to raise money for charity.. sometimes the best intentions can produce bad results.

[m33p0]

i think a closer comparison would be your boyfriend breaking up with you in front of the class coz you suck.... in a bad way.

[TDMVPDPOY]

even during his rookie season bron was rumored to be going to the big markets teams, even during the extention....seems like the clowns at cavs werent mentally prepared for that day but continue to surround him with trash, but that was the best they can do

[Xevious]

It was pretty classless to leave Cleveland on live TV, but I also think it's pretty silly how Lebron is being villainized around the league. He wants to win, and Cleveland was not getting it done.

[m33p0]

even during his rookie season bron was rumored to be going to the big markets teams, even during the extention....seems like the clowns at cavs werent mentally prepared for that day but continue to surround him with trash, but that was the best they can do

yup. that has always been speculated.

[angelbelow]

yup. that has always been speculated.

I actually think Gilberts reaction is pretty classless as well.

[m33p0]

I actually think Gilberts reaction is pretty classless as well.

owners are classless by definition. see Cuban, Mark for reference.

[tuncaboylu]

Duncan had a ring in San Antonio when decision time arrived after 5 years. But Lebron has nothing after 7 years and it's wrong to compare them. Moreover D-Rob was a good mentor for Duncan's staying.

[baseline bum]

:lol +1.. If Duncan hadn't won a championship prior to his FA.. putting him in the same position as LeBron... then he's probably on the first plane out.

Yet LeBron is Hitler/Kim Jong Il for leaving. I feel sorry for the dude.

Tim Duncan also had a coach that he had a great relationship with, played next to a first ballot Hall of Famer who, although aging, still had some game left, and he also said he was going to re-sign if the SBC Center got built. It's not really the same situation. And anyone who blames LeBron for leaving is a moron... anyone who thought Cleveland deserved to have their hearts ripped out and shit on live on national tv is one too. Totally classless way for him to leave.

[InK]

so you're saying it's okay to leave when your team sucks

So ur saying all teams should just stick with their bad players, giving them extensions. Forget about titles, loyalty is what matters...

[m33p0]

So ur saying all teams should just stick with their bad players, giving them extensions. Forget about titles, loyalty is what matters...
dude, read on then get back to me.

[ChuckD]

Duncan probably would have gone to Orlando if they'd allowed his girlfriend on the team plane.

...or fed him Wendy's instead of some fancy brunch. :lol

Seriously, it was probably closer than people think, but I am of the opinion that Tim stayed because that's what Tim does. He's a creature of inertia. He's not one to jump out of his comfort zone. He also left himself some leverage by setting the trend of signing for MAX money but less than MAX years, in his case three.

[ChuckD]

And Spurs repaid him by trading Scola.

And drafting Tony and Manu, and signing Stephen Jackson, Bruce Bowen, and Robert Horry. He DID win 3 ch'ips after re-signing.

[joeyjfive]

Holy crap did anyone read that comment left by that kid at the bottom of the page? Jesus Christ, talk about your perfect grammar.

[SpursNextRomanEmpire]

Good article, Tim is the best

[mytespurs]

If you work your ass off for 7 years and nothing happens because you have a shitty head coach and pussified teammates, then yes

One thing to remember: almost all the moves the Cavs made in trying to win a championship were done with LeBron's blessing. The team catered to the superstar vs trying to build a strong contending team around the superstar.
Gilbert should've taken a good long look in the mirror before going on that diatribe.

Saying all that, LeBron had every right to join another team-people, even bitter Cavs fans, can't fault him for that. It's the way it was done that rubs and will continue to rub people the wrong way.

[ChuckD]

One thing to remember: almost all the moves the Cavs made in trying to win a championship were done with LeBron's blessing. The team catered to the superstar vs trying to build a strong contending team around the superstar.
Gilbert should've taken a good long look in the mirror before going on that diatribe.

Saying all that, LeBron had every right to join another team-people, even bitter Cavs fans, can't fault him for that. It's the way it was done that rubs and will continue to rub people the wrong way.

LeBron had to leave, because Cleveland was never going to be able to bring in another prime player with the killer instinct that LeBron clearly lacked. He had to go elsewhere to find his leader. He needs Wade to close the deal, and Wade was never going to Cleveland.

[DesignatedT]

Lebrons an ass clown. He doesn't even compare to Timmy.

[mountainballer]

the same old BS as always from Bleacherreport.
and the comparison of the two situations as as bad as it could be.

(and btw. I guess everyone knows, loves and respects Tim, do we really need this stuff to get confirmation?)

when Tim decided to stay, he still had Dave coming of a 80 games 32 MPG, 9.6RPG and 2.3 BPG all-star season. guess what, that's quite comparable to what Tim delivered last season.
talking about the 2010 Tim, I don't think anyone wouldn't claim that Tim is still a player who can impact the game for some more years. (and therefore a good reason to stay with him)

Tim not only had Dave (with all the personal stuff) who Lebron doesn't have, he also had Pop, who he trusted, respected and liked and who he knew can build a champion.
(Lebron would have a new coach and new GM in Cleveland)

furthermore, even with the aging roster, there was clearly a good perspective and a well managed cap that assured that the Spurs will have options to upgrade in the years 2000-2003.
(Cavs don't have this flexibility for the next years, if they had re signed James to a max contract)
and don't forget: Tim just re signed for only 3 years in 2000. he kept a door out open, if he didn't like the Spurs rebuilding plans.

could list another ton of reasons, why the 2 situations can't be compared.
and I can see why Lebron left.

if the year 2000 Tim was on this Cleveland team, with this limited options ahead (with this owner, new coach, new GM), he might have been out the door on July 1st already!

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Um, I might not have made this clear enough before, but I fucking love me some Timmy D.

[sabar]

The tale of the two choices is that Duncan would never go on national TV to stab San Antonio in the back. He would of had meetings with the front office and they would of split amicably. He doesn't need to go on TV to stay with the team either. We would just read it in the paper the next day.

This isn't about loyalty. It is about being an ass on national television.

[cd98]

I love how the NBA beat writers and such ignore Tim Duncan and call him boring; and then when they need to criticize an NBA player for childish behavior, they trot out Tim Duncan.

Sure Tim is a classy player, but too many writers have ignored his greatness unless trying to old school some young player's stupid decisions.

[ploto]

so you're saying it's okay to leave when your team sucks

If the Spurs sucked, Duncan would have been gone without looking back.

[DesignatedT]

Still trying to figure out how Cleveland sucked????????????? Of course playing with Wade and Bosh is a golden opporotunity but Cleveland did not "suck" and the ownership did everything possible at all times to put a solid team around James and they would have continued to do so.

They won 61 games last season (best in the nba) and 66 games the season before (best in the nba) by no means did his team "suck" that's a retarded statement.

IMO I could care less that he stayed or left although I think he took himself out of good company by leaving. I had a problem with how big his ego is and how he handled the situation. I hope he never wins anything to be honest.

[Dex]

Good piece, very poignant, but...


O'Neal did not know then that Kobe Bryant, picked 13th by the Charlotte Bobcats then traded to the Lakers, would become an all-time great.

Once again, basic fact checking and editing is lost upon sports journalism.

[Obstructed_View]

And anyone who blames LeBron for leaving is a moron... anyone who thought Cleveland deserved to have their hearts ripped out and shit on live on national tv is one too.

This pretty much sums it all up. He's an ass for leaving the way he did, but I certainly don't blame him for leaving.