LeBron James never ceases to amaze.
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, the Miami Heat superstar goes and torches the Charlotte Bobcats for 61 points. And just when you thought you’ve heard it all, James starts waxing regret about his failure to procure an NBA championship for former teammate Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
James hopes to return to Cleveland this weekend so he can watch the Cavs retire Big Z’s jersey, per ESPN’s Tom Haberstroh. The two were teammates for a total of eight seasons, the last of which was spent with the Heat in 2010-11, when James took Big Z to Miami.
Speaking on Ilgauskas, James made it clear he wishes things could have ended differently.
From Haberstroh:
James helped recruit Ilgauskas to Miami in the summer of 2010 after James left Cleveland. The Heat lost in the 2011 Finals to the Dallas Mavericks, the second time that James and Ilgauskas reached the Finals. Both ended without titles.
“It was very important (having him in Miami in 2010-11) and I came up short,” James said. “Part of my whole inspiration bringing him (to Miami) was to try to win him an NBA championship. I tried to do it in Cleveland and came up short. I did it one year while he was here in Miami.”
Just short is more like it.
The Heat made it all the way to the NBA Finals in 2011, before falling to the Dallas Mavericks in six games, two victories shy of a title. Since then, the Heat have won two consecutive championships and are chasing a third, pursuits that postdate Ilgauskas’ retirement.
But while Big Z’s departure from the game remains bittersweet because of its timing, I’m sure he’s not harping on it. How could he? What James did in 2010 may still reek of conspiracy, but it’s also heartfelt. His entire career up until 2011-12 was spent playing alongside Ilgauskas. That he was so hell-bent on winning him a title is, well, awesome.
Now here James is again, attempting to fit Ilgauskas’ final sendoff into his hectic schedule.
Returning to Cleveland is no small task. Remember that. Cavaliers fans still harbor resentment, even if many of them are openly or secretly wishing he returns this summer (he won’t). Then there’s the whole Dan Gilbert thing, which has never really died down. Or maybe it has. It’s like a tacit issue at this point. We tend to ignore it, but we know a rift exists.
James, to his credit, doesn’t want his appearance to be blown out of proportion:
“I hope it doesn’t, if I’m able to make it,” James said. “It’s not my day, it’s not about me. It’s about Z. But it wouldn’t matter to me. Obviously I’m there for a dear friend, to be able to support him, if I’m able to make it, and that’s the main thing.”
Not-so-deep-down, James must know it’s going to be a big deal. It most definitely shouldn’t be, but people will somehow twist his pretty-much-meaningless return to Cleveland for something not even really related to the current Cavaliers into a harbinger of his ultimate long-term commitment to the franchise this summer.
If he wishes to avoid that nonsense, he could just shoot Big Z a text or a phone call. He could even send him one of those traveling barbershop quartets.
Whatever he does, whatever he decides, it’s going to be the right decision, because James seems incapable of making mistakes these days.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com.
