Michael Jordan comment about LeBron's move to Miami

[20beastie45]

"There's no way, with hindsight, I would've ever called up Larry, called up Magic and said, 'Hey, look, let's get together and play on one team,'" Jordan said after playing in a celebrity golf tournament in Nevada. "But that's ... things are different. I can't say that's a bad thing. It's an opportunity these kids have today. In all honesty, I was trying to beat those guys."

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5391478


Just like Duncan wanted to beat Shaq Daddy for taking us out of the Playoffs for 01 and 02.


Then in 03 MVP fourth quarter Romping!!!!!


Come to think of it

Robinson
Duncan
Jackson
Ginobili
Parker


Best starting line up for years to come.


I'm new to Spurstalk. Cheers.


Go Spurs Go

[DMX7]

MJ's still got da fire. I swear, dat man still wants to take da court.

[Darrin]

I doubt that, competitively, if the Bulls had the chance to land Larry Bird or Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan wouldn't lobby his Owner and GM to get the job done. How competitive would he truly have been if he had decided he had to do this without another big name on his team? That's just plain ludicrious.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

I don't like LeBron, or that Miami trio thing, but I find some of the criticism unnecessary. Why would LeBron need to win anything the MJ way? Why should he be compared to MJ, he's miles behind MJ.

He's yet to get out of the Malone-Ewing-Barkley club and that's what's on his mind above all I think.

[Leonard Curse]

I don't like LeBron, or that Miami trio thing, but I find some of the criticism unnecessary. Why would LeBron need to win anything the MJ way? Why should he be compared to MJ, he's miles behind MJ.

He's yet to get out of the Malone-Ewing-Barkley club and that's what's on his mind above all I think.
:toast+1 its amazing how much credit they give that loser

[Leonard Curse]

im not going to say i wouldnt enjoy it, if it happened to the spurs but something about it takes away from the ring maybe im totally wrong & being a hater haha . I just remeber when we got ours we earned the crap out of it in every aspect &always being doubted up until the last game.
This city was so damn proud of our team (still are) but i think miami will just get cocky kinda like L.A not really proud just super arrogant.theyll find out this trio will take away from their indiv. legacies, lets hope theyre beatable hahaha

[Obstructed_View]

If the Bulls had drafted Dennis Hopson instead of Scottie Pippen, Jordan would have gone somewhere else.

[K-State Spur]

I doubt that, competitively, if the Bulls had the chance to land Larry Bird or Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan wouldn't lobby his Owner and GM to get the job done. How competitive would he truly have been if he had decided he had to do this without another big name on his team? That's just plain ludicrious.

Kobe lobbied for it (and got his owner to move shaq). Now, we often question Kobe's leadership, character, and even intelligence - but does anybody question his competitiveness?

If your goal is to solely win championships - then you want all the talent around you possible. If your goal is to be the best individual player (which you can sacrifice statistics and still do), then you want to win championships without be surrounded by half the all NBA team.

Nobody can begrudge Lebron for making this move (just the way he went about it), but he did take himself out of the running for GOAT.

[jermaine]

MJ's still got da fire. I swear, dat man still wants to take da court.

I'm pretty sure in 2k11 he is! Lmao.

[ohmwrecker]

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=159233

[Cry Havoc]

If the Bulls had drafted Dennis Hopson instead of Scottie Pippen, Jordan would have gone somewhere else.

+1


Kobe lobbied for it (and got his owner to move shaq). Now, we often question Kobe's leadership, character, and even intelligence - but does anybody question his competitiveness?

If your goal is to solely win championships - then you want all the talent around you possible. If your goal is to be the best individual player (which you can sacrifice statistics and still do), then you want to win championships without be surrounded by half the all NBA team.

Nobody can begrudge Lebron for making this move (just the way he went about it), but he did take himself out of the running for GOAT.

How do you figure? Name an NBA champion who has done it without a stellar supporting cast?

Kobe has Gasol, Odom, Artest.

Shaq had Kobe, Fisher, Fox, etc.

Jordan had Pippen, Rodman, and some amazing role players.

Duncan has had Parker, Manu, Bowen, and Robinson, not to mention a few other guys who really stepped it up (Horry, Elliott, etc).

Perhaps the ONLY teams in NBA history that won titles without a truly legitimate 2nd man are Duncan's 03 Spurs and Hakeem's 94 Rockets.

I love that Jordan is the GoaT with one of the other 50 greatest players on his team, but LeBron is shit because he wants someone else in his uniform that actually might step on the court for the All-Star game after 7 years. And no, Mo Williams doesn't count.

[TDMVPDPOY]

MJ is entitled to his opinion, yeh his the guy that drafted brown and morrison

[austN Spur]

My favorite part of that interview was when jordan was talking about the money these kids are making and then said, how he would "love to play today against the greats like kobe and TIM DUNCAN"

[silverblk mystix]

Fuck MJ, Fuck Lebron, Fuck LEGACIES!!!!

WGAF about a legacy?

It is fuckin basketball...we are not talking about who left a legacy by curing cancer or curing aids or helping mankind in some great way....


I repeat ---FUCK all this talk about who is better Kobe or Lebron...who can win this title without the least help...who can blah,blah fuckin' blah....

only LAKER FANS and casual ESPN watchers care about that shit....


FUCK :bang:bang:bang:bang:bang

[wildbill2u]

There is an inherent danger in letting a dream team concentration of talent occur. BB is a sport in which a relative small number of supperstars could easily tilt the balance of power into a monopoly on championships.

Owners have tried to accumulate a monopoly of talent in various sports (Steinbrenner & the Yankees come to mind) but it is more difficult in sports where larger numbers of players are playing at the same time.

The problem is already apparent when most FAs want to go to NY, Boston and LA as their preference. Miami as a 'destination' may be only an abberation for these players as a one time decision, but it could also cause a change for the future.

Basketball's only protection from such an accumulation of talent is the salary cap and luxury tax ---and the owners appreciation that such a lop-sided talent situation would not be good for the league in the long run. Our own Angelo Drossos sold this idea to the league to save it from itself by making the small market franchises viable. Now this is in danger because of the actions of players in determining the direction of the league.

It may be impossible to prevent players from colluding and making these types of moves now or in the future, but it can't help the league. Fans may go out to see their hometeam play a 'dream team' when they come to town as they still turn our for the Harlem Globetrotters vs. their 'patsies', but who wants season tickets or playoff tickets to a hopeless cause?

[galvatron3000]

Jordan tried to get Barkley to join the Bulls but Barkley wanted to beat the Bulls so I never pay attention to stuff like this, Michael must have forgotten that.

[K-State Spur]

+1



How do you figure? Name an NBA champion who has done it without a stellar supporting cast?

Kobe has Gasol, Odom, Artest.

Shaq had Kobe, Fisher, Fox, etc.

Jordan had Pippen, Rodman, and some amazing role players.

Duncan has had Parker, Manu, Bowen, and Robinson, not to mention a few other guys who really stepped it up (Horry, Elliott, etc).

Perhaps the ONLY teams in NBA history that won titles without a truly legitimate 2nd man are Duncan's 03 Spurs and Hakeem's 94 Rockets.

I love that Jordan is the GoaT with one of the other 50 greatest players on his team, but LeBron is shit because he wants someone else in his uniform that actually might step on the court for the All-Star game after 7 years. And no, Mo Williams doesn't count.

I never said that it could be done without help - only that Kobe's attempt to do it without Shaq did not indicate a lack of competitiveness, only a lack of intelligence.

BTW, Pippen was a nice player in his own right - but he doesn't sniff the top 50 list without MJ's coattails.

Everybody knows that you need help to win it, but there is also a lot to be said for trying to beat the other top players in the game, not giving up and joining them.

[Obstructed_View]

Kobe didn't want to win championships, he didn't want to share the spotlight.

[Killakobe81]

I never said that it could be done without help - only that Kobe's attempt to do it without Shaq did not indicate a lack of competitiveness, only a lack of intelligence.

BTW, Pippen was a nice player in his own right - but he doesn't sniff the top 50 list without MJ's coattails.

Everybody knows that you need help to win it, but there is also a lot to be said for trying to beat the other top players in the game, not giving up and joining them.

agree whole-heartedly with it all ...

One thing i would add is that Shaq's ego is what damaged that team more than Kobe's ...

Shaq's unwillingnes to cede to the young star Like Kareem did with magic, David did with Tim, and the elder Shaq did with Wade ... ultimately is why the early 2000's Lakers were undone ...that and the ascension of duncan and the Spurs ....

[Obstructed_View]

agree whole-heartedly with it all ...

One thing i would add is that Shaq's ego is what damaged that team more than Kobe's ...

Shaq's unwillingnes to cede to the young star Like Kareem did with magic, David did with Tim, and the elder Shaq did with Wade ... ultimately is why the early 2000's Lakers were undone ...that and the ascension of duncan and the Spurs ....

And cue the Kobe revisionists. Gotta make sure and misinform at every opportunity or people will remember that Kobe was the reason Shaq was traded, or that the Spurs were injured during the Lakers threepeat.

[picc84]

Shaq demanded a trade after Buss refused to pay him what he wanted and Phil Jackson left. Somehow over the years thats been twisted into Kobe got Shaq traded.

[Killakobe81]

And cue the Kobe revisionists. Gotta make sure and misinform at every opportunity or people will remember that Kobe was the reason Shaq was traded, or that the Spurs were injured during the Lakers threepeat.

Please educate me Obstructed? no trash talk ...honest debate here.

First: I was in L.A. It was Shaq that refused to mention Kobe's name at the strat of training camp in (2003 I believe) and that he wanted to recover from surgery to get back to his teammates: Fish, horry, Fox and shaw and omitted Kobe's name.
Reporter asked him "what about Kobe" he repeated the names again.

Second: Shaq also said "if the big dog is not getting fed the big dog don't protect the house ... when being questioned about the lack of Laker's defense after a tough loss IIRC ...
Shaq for a vet was petty, childish and should of taken the David Robinson example of how to welcome a young superstar but he never did in L.A.

Third: Read my post i said the ascencion of the spurs was ALSO a big part of why the Lakers uraveled. I am not revising history. i wish Shaq had Duncan's post game and kobe duncan's humility (well at least some i think Kobe's edge is essential to his game)

I am not one of the ones who knocks the spurs success unless provoked ...but i am trying to not allow that either.

duncan is one of my favorite all-time non Laker players AND i have posted numerous times that after duncan's rookie year i predicted he would better than shaq and wanted to trade Shaq for duncan.

There SPUR fans on here who thaink shaq was better than Duncan.

[Cane]

Fuck Jordan. That asshat cut into David Robinson's HOF speech.

[Obstructed_View]

Shaq demanded a trade after Buss refused to pay him what he wanted and Phil Jackson left. Somehow over the years thats been twisted into Kobe got Shaq traded.

Shaq demanded a trade after finding out that the Lakers weren't going to keep Phil Jackson because Kobe was going to sign with the Clippers if they didn't get rid of him. Don't try to bullshit people that were actually around back then.

[Killakobe81]

And cue the Kobe revisionists. Gotta make sure and misinform at every opportunity or people will remember that Kobe was the reason Shaq was traded, or that the Spurs were injured during the Lakers threepeat.

One more thing injuries ...seriously?

That is as bush-league as phil putting an asterisk by the '99 title.
I don't cry about Bynum and Ariza in '08 ...we got our asses whupped end of story.
Injuries are part of the game and without a big one to David the spurs franchise may not have 4 rings ...
But they do and earned every last one of them ...

[Killakobe81]

Shaq demanded a trade after finding out that the Lakers weren't going to keep Phil Jackson because Kobe was going to sign with the Clippers if they didn't get rid of him. Don't try to bullshit people that were actually around back then.

Shaq also cursed and called out Buss in our locker room right after we won the 3 peat.

Buss will not be bullied as Shaq found out then, and Ariza and Lamar found out last year.

no one denies you were around obstructed but I was around for all 4 Spurs titles i doubt i know more than hard-core Spur fans that follow the team day in and day out.

I know you deal with a lot of Kobbe fabois but I'm a Laker fan first and foremost.
I blame BOTH of them (Kobe and Shaq and to lesser extent buss) for breaking up our mini dynasty ...

But Shaq could have prevented it all by learning from Kareem or David Robinson ...

Also overall i expected more from shaq. I wanted him to be more mature and more focused. I dont criticize Shaq here because i love kobe ...I guess Kobe is what he is arrogant, but he never has failed to maximize his talent.

Shaq to me has left a lot of his game and rings unrealized because he lacks that fire that duncan, kobe jordan etc have ...

[Obstructed_View]

One more thing injuries ...seriously?

That is as bush-league as phil putting an asterisk by the '99 title.
I don't cry about Bynum and Ariza in '08 ...we got our asses whupped end of story.
Injuries are part of the game and without a big one to David the spurs franchise may not have 4 rings ...
But they do and earned every last one of them ...

:lol

[Killakobe81]

:lol

LOL smiley ... cute

i asked you to educate me ...that is your response? You should post more inthe NBA forum they would love youthere ...

[Fabbs]

I doubt that, competitively, if the Bulls had the chance to land Larry Bird or Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan wouldn't lobby his Owner and GM to get the job done. How competitive would he truly have been if he had decided he had to do this without another big name on his team? That's just plain ludicrious.
This.

And this.

If the Bulls had drafted Dennis Hopson instead of Scottie Pippen, Jordan would have gone somewhere else.

[Ginobili2Duncan]

This may be a different time, but that is no excuse. If you want to be the best, then you should beat the best. Magic and Zeke were also good friends off the court but on they court they were all business.

This new Miami triumvirate will be good for the league short term for casual fans, but when they start sweeping through the playoffs it won't be. The excitement in any professional league is the competition, watching superstars play against each other and watching evenly matched teams play against each other. Pretty soon,only one team will have a chance to win the title. What kind of league is that?

[galvatron3000]

Mike tried to get Barkley
Kobe cried about being traded
LeBron used Free Agency to his advantage
Barkley joined the Rockets but tried to get Pippen in Phoenix prior


This stuff is media spin and old players using it to their advantage, it gives folks something to waste time debating and discussing. Heck, Mike would have left the Bulls to, especially if they didn't pay him that $30 million for one year he got, wonder where he would have gone

[Nathan Explosion]

The reason everyone is killing Lebron is easy. Say what you will, Kobe did it with his team. He wanted out of the Lakers and was getting killed for it, but in the end, gets praised with staying and winning with the Lakers.

Jordan did it with his team. Lebron decided that instead of trying to beat Wade, he'd go to Wade's team. Basically, a physical talent that has never been seen in basketball (and make no mistake, there's never been a Lebron) decided to be a second fiddle on someone else's team. Seems kind of a let down.

Jordan would have taken Bird and Magic on his team if the front office asked for them. But Jordan was the ultimate competitor. He never would have gone to the Celtics or Lakers to play second fiddle to Bird or Magic. Everything we know about Jordan will back that up.

True basketball fans know what a special talent Lebron was, so it's disappointing in a way that he seemingly decided he didn't want to be the best, he wanted to just help. For that, he may never be considered a better player than Wade even though he's got more talent.

Say what you will about Wade, he's got the talent and drive to be an all time great. Having Bosh and Lebron along can help him become one of greatest winners ever. I can see why Wade wanted to do this. He just wanted to win. But Lebron has willingly took a backseat to Wade and gone to his team to win when he should have been pushing for other talent to come to Cleveland.

And whether Lebron wants to admit it or not, he inadvertently screwed Cleveland by not committing to the team last summer. Had he come out and signed an extension, other FA would have signed with the Cavs to play with Lebron and try for a title. But because he wouldn't make the commitment, FAs didn't want to risk being stuck on the Cavs while Lebron bolted. In the end, they were right.

You can blame the Cavs FO for not getting players, but Lebron wasn't helping lure FAs with his indecision. In the end, not big time FA wanted to sign with the Cavs, and Lebron can look in the mirror if he wants to know why.

[Obstructed_View]

LOL smiley ... cute

i asked you to educate me ...that is your response? You should post more inthe NBA forum they would love youthere ...

Funny, I was just thinking how you should go back where you belong. I know you had to stop in to spread some misinformation about Kobe though. I'm sure he appreciates it.

[ajh18]

As a Spurs fan, the thing that absolutely drives me crazy is the respect Lebron still seems to get in the media and general public, while David Robinson had to deal with the exact opposite.

Seriously, other than an extra MVP, what has Lebron really accomplished that David hadn't before the arrival of Tim Duncan? Sick stats? David had them. Freakish athleticism? Check. And while everyone points to David losing in the playoffs, so has Lebron... and with fairly comparable talent next to him (you could even argue Lebron has had more at points than Robinson did). I guess Lebron led his team to the finals once... but then again Robinson's team NEVER missed the playoffs, and Lebron can't say that.

David got SO MUCH crap, with people calling him "soft" and questioning his will to win. Well, the one thing David NEVER did was quit on his team in the playoffs, even when he was getting out-performed.

People still say that what keeps him from being one of the top players of all time is that he could never win without another all-time great next to him. But in that case, I don't know how you can ever give Lebron more credit as a star who can win without help, because even if he wins now (and I'm not against his choice to go to the heat), he still did it with an all-time great next to him. But rather than wait for that player to come to him... he went to them instead.

I think that ANYONE who ever questions Robinson's ability, heart, or performance has to be equally or MORE harsh towards Lebron James. And for the life of me, I'll never understand why a true hero and role model got less public adoration than a man who refers to himself in the third person five times in a one-hour tv special... that he put on... to talk about himself. Robinson was respectful, and was a leader on and off the court... and he could have shown Lebron a thing or two about what "doing it for the kids" really is all about.

[PublicOption]

player_embedded#at=135

[PublicOption]

G7xlzLOZH5c&feature=player_embedded#!

[20beastie45]

G7xlzLOZH5c&feature=player_embedded#!

EPIC!:lmao:lmao:lmao

[will_spurs]

What I truly don't understand is how can people compare apples and oranges like that. I don't want to sound nasty towards Lebron, Wade or Bosh, but they don't really belong in the same sentence as Jordan, Magic or Bird. Seriously, Bosh is not 1/10th of the player Bird was.

Cornering the market to bring talents of the level of Lebron + Wade + Bosh has been done before. Bosh isn't even going to the HoF as of today.

When talking about Jordan people would make it sound like Pippen wasn't a 7-time All Star, perennial All-Defensive 1st team and inducted in All-NBA 1st team when Jordan was away (and of course in the HoF too) or that Rodman wasn't a two-time DPOY and perennial All-Defensive 1st who had already won 2 rings with Detroit before and a borderline HoF guy in his own right.

Re: Bird they'd have you believe he never played with McHale (HoF) and Parish (also HoF)... etc. Should I even mention the Parish + 1st draft pick (McHale) for 2 1st round draft picks (Rickey Brown and Joe Mary Carroll) trade? It's not like lopsided trades were invented with Pau Gasol or Garnett.

I'd say Bird + McHale + Parish is more comparable to Lebron + Wade + Bosh than Bird + Magic + Jordan.