Return of the king

LeBron James is headed back to Cleveland in what is both a great PR move and savvy business decision. You’ll recall that when he left acrimoniously in 2010, the only thing the people of the city didn’t do was hang him in effigy. They were burning his jerseys in public, vilifying him, and even tearing his billboards off the sides of buildings. It was such a hyped event that his departure left a sour taste in the mouth for fans who felt treated badly by their fellow Ohio native.

James entered the NBA in time for the 2003-2004 season with more hype than almost any player before or since. He was the first high school player whose games were covered live by ESPN. To a large extent, he put up the numbers to live to all the hype and endorsements raining over him. James began with what turned out to be a career-low 20.9 points per game, and peaked with 31.4 a night two seasons later before departing for Florida. He had a reputation for being self-centered, self-aggrandizing and well, selfish. To be fair, some of it was undeserved. Just some of it.

James arrived in the post-Shaquille O’Neal era, with Dwyane Wade having won one title with the Diesel and Pat Riley. But unlike Shaq, who said it was Wade’s team, there had to be a Big Three with shared responsibilities. But whether he liked it or not, Wade had moral authority and unstated leadership chops. Wade had a ring; he didn’t. The question on everyone’s mind was how well he would play with the others. Even when he was given the supporting cast he asked for with the Cavs, he still didn’t win, and he still complained.

But that was then. LeBron took on the air of a leader, and although he and Wade occasionally danced around each other’s large egos like gunslingers waiting to see who would draw first, all was well. With Chris Bosh a silent third pillar, they started wreaking havoc in the East. Bring into the equation Erik Spoelstra’s handling of that gargantuan testosterone mix, and things worked out. Spoelstra, who took a job with the Heat at the time he also had an option to play in the Philippine Basketball Association, was able to assert himself while taking in the players’ input. And even when he and Wade clashed, crisis was averted.

Why did James opt to go back to Cleveland, which was not really one of the contenders for his services?

First of all, it was a brilliant stroke for James. He swoops back into town with even more leverage than when he left. Two championships can do that for you. Also, he returns as an elder statesman, not as a talented youngster who appears a spoiled brat at times. When James speaks, it is now from having ascended the peak of the NBA. Now he has not just the authority of talent, but of accomplishment. He can look around the huddle and know that the others will listen to what he has to say because he’s been there and he’s done it. Twice.

Secondly, James can now do something that nobody else has done: win Cleveland its first championship. He comes into a younger, talented team that may unite around him (hopefully). And if he doesn’t lock horns with the coaching staff, their growth curve may just be a very steep one. The Eastern Conference is not as wild as the West, and this is a better situation for a group of young players aiming to go deep into the playoffs. LeBron has already made history in many ways. But a maiden trophy for the city would be magical, and indelible.

Third, James has made a great business decision. He signed on for two years, knowing that other league pacts around him (such as the global television contract) will also be expiring. This will bring more money into the pot that determines players’ salary caps, and James knows this. He has never gotten the singularly large maximum paycheck that the best player in the game deserves. But he knows it will be forthcoming. In two years’ time, he can renew for even more money as the max goes up.

Fourth, what will his legacy be? He is in elite company having won more than one championship. But how many players have been able to win championships with more than one team? Not Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson or Larry Bird. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won one in Milwaukee before the Lakers’ run in the 1980’s. That goal would definitely set James apart, as Phil Jackson was able to create two NBA dynasties, one on each coast. LeBron is young enough to still win more than one more title. Now that achievement, in turn, would be talked about and place him in a different category. It is always easier to stay in a comfortable environment, with a team used to winning that other players want to be a part of. This, I think, fits LeBron’s character more. His entire career, he has been seeking that one thing that nobody else could say.

And he is in a unique position to do that in Cleveland.