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Well, we’ve been here before.
LeBron James has once again ducked Northeast Ohio by choosing to sign with a team other than the Cleveland Cavaliers. I think I speak for all of us when I say this left me feeling bummed out.
Not as bummed as 2010. But maybe slightly more disappointed than 2018, when it felt all but certain we’d be entering a dark age of Cavalier basketball following The King’s departure.
This time around is a little different than the other two.
In 2010, James left us all hanging. It felt like the hometown hero was turning his back on us. To this day, the first decision remains controversial in Cleveland. I don’t think that relationship would have ever been repaired if James hadn’t returned in 2014 and eventually fulfilled his promise.
2018 was totally different. By then, he’d already brought a title to Cleveland and done all he could to elevate a lackluster roster to another finals appearance. The 2018 playoff run felt like his last dance in Cleveland. They’d expended all of their resources and met the end of the road. I think most of us made peace with James ending his career somewhere else.
But then hope returned.
Last month, it felt like James might actually make another homecoming. Not only would he close his career with a storybook ending, but he’d be joining a team that actually has a chance of winning the title. This would have been more than a farewell tour. James was the exact type of player the Cavs had been missing throughout this era.
We all know what happened next.
James chose to join the Philadelphia 76ers, stating that this would be the last decision of his career. It all ends in Philly — not Cleveland.
So, now that we’ve laid it all out, we want to know how you feel about LeBron’s decision.
Does this change your view of him? Are you left feeling scorned and betrayed? Disappointed? Or do you have zero bad feelings in the wake of another decision? Let us know in our poll and leave a comment with your explanation!
