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BOSTON — On his way to the losing locker room, LeBron James removed his Cleveland Cavaliers jersey. Maybe for good.
The season ends and now the speculation begins: It is that sad, that simple, that sudden for King James and the Cavaliers. No team won more games during the National Basketball Association season and no player dominated the way LeBron, the Most Valuable Player, but when it mattered most, the Cavs hardly looked the part of contender and James seemed a shadow of an MVP.
And now what? Now begins the Summer of LeBron, discussion, debate, dissection, and then more of the same. With the stunning six-game defeat of the Cavs, losing 94-85 to a deeper, smarter, more focused, more defensive Boston Celtics team, the future of LeBron and with it the future of the Cavaliers becomes the talk of the basketball world.
He doesn’t have to Tweet if he is going to stay or go — or ask for any suggestions — all around there will be enough rumours, none of which has any veracity as of today.
This may seem like a Cleveland story — this being a big mistake by the league — but it extends far and wide in the NBA. This is Toronto and Chris Bosh. This is Miami and Dwyane Wade. This is Dallas and Dirk Nowitzki. This is Atlanta and Joe Johnson. This is Phoenix and Amare Stoudamire. But all of it begins with King James, the largest prize, who didn’t seem so much the King in this six-game loss to the Celtics. And that has been as much of the story as anything.
He is the first domino. And let the tiles fall where they may.
There has never been a summer like the one coming. And no one can say with any honesty they know for certain where these men of talent are going.
“I didn’t play this season wondering what I’m going to do in the off-season,” James said. “At no point did it ever factor into what I’m going to do this summer ... I have no plans. I’ve made no plans ...
“I guess you have to go through a lot of nightmares before you can accomplish your dream.”
But first, some context from this second-round defeat. This year and this team was supposed to be different for
LeBron. This is Year 7 for James in the NBA, the time for him to step up as a champion.
“He is a monster,” Boston coach Doc Rivers said. “Trying to guard LeBron for six games is just brutal. I was so proud of our guys and how they handled it.”
That’s what it came down to: Team beat individual. And more than that. Deep, disciplined team beat great individual who didn’t or couldn’t take over the series.
Now what for the Cavaliers? They lose the series and maybe their only hope. Does the defeat make LeBron want to remain and fight for something or does it lead him away from Cleveland?
Nobody knows that now. Everything Thursday night has a touch of symbolism to it. James tearing off his jersey. Boston fans chanting “New York Knicks.” All of it show - with the meaning still yet to come.
“He’s the face of basketball,” said Kevin Garnett of the Celtics of James. “He’s going to be the talk of the summer. Not just him. But D-Wade. Chris Bosh. All of them.”
LeBron led all scorers in points Thursday night, took the most shots, missed the most shots, created the most turnovers. He couldn’t be charged with the disinterest that was held over his head in Game 5 but he was as brilliant as he was erratic in this season ending game. And that wasn’t enough for anybody.
He will have to answer for that defeat also, but less so for Thursday night. Either way, it won’t affect his future economics. It may, however, affect, how he we think about him.
No matter what uniform he happens to be wearing next season.