How to Handle Losing Your Best Player
Free agency this year and its aftermath is a soap-opera that refuses to quit. It’s taken hold of the world, in due part thanks to an all-star cast, featuring mega big-shots LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade. But it’s also seen a great contributing cast, with everyone from President Obama to Jesse Jackson weighing in on the issues. But if there’s any awards to be given out this time around, it goes to team GMs, who’ve faithfully restored attention just as coverage was dipping.
Thursday night, after James announced his decision to “take his talents to South Beach,” Cavs owner Dan Gilbert had a fit and unleashed a public letter condemning the star for ‘betrayal’ and showing his evil true colours. Like it or not, it was a gripping performance by Gilbert, matched out only Raptors’ GM Bryan Colangelo, who, getting in on the letter action, put out his own in response to the trade.
Both clubs have just lost their inspirational muses, so it makes sense that they’d be searching for answers, but the different reactions, even in the letters themselves, are very telling.
Case #1. Dan Gilbert’s letter. We need only replicate one phrase to get the gist of it. Gilbert angrily vowed: "I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER 'KING' WINS ONE.”
Mature. Compare that to Toronto Raptors’ President and GM Bryan Colangelo, whose letter reflected on losing their star Chris Bosh, rather than James, to the Heat. In the first paragraph, Colangelo says: "Kudos to the Miami Heat for pulling off such a feat.”
Colangelo goes on to say how he tried desperately and did all he could to keep Bosh. It comes off as sincere as articulate. Then he apologizes: "Unfortunately we fell short of that goal and must now move on to a post-Bosh era in Toronto.”
Finally he adds: "Our franchise will evolve and emerge stronger than before, and I assure you that our combined efforts will produce the WINNER you are hoping for".
Obviously these are two different approaches to losing key players. The rebuttal would be: but the situations are different; Cleveland had a personal stake in James and he in them. Fine. Or maybe you want to say that LeBron James was a jerk to announce his departure on TV. But any route or explanation you come up with, the fact remains that Gilbert still looked like a fool. This is the NBA, a multi-million dollar business. Arguing for having holds on players’ business interest is like getting mad at children for stealing candy. It may seem justified in a particular situation, but it almost always ends up making the parent look silly afterward.
On the other hand, take Toronto’s relationship with Bosh. Sure, Bosh isn’t a native Torontonian, but that didn’t negate him from the franchise. He did what Vince Carter flat-out failed to do, and what Tracy McGrady wanted to do. He was the team’s soul. But because he didn’t have the supporting cast to make it big, he did what he had to do to remain vital in a thriving environment: he adapted. Everyone saw it coming. Colangelo couldn’t do much, but he saw it coming too.
A lot of people were obviously angered with the results of “The Decision,” but not many should have the bravado to say he gave up on them. Players never just give up on teams; as indicated above, teams give up on players before that.
If Gilbert was smart, he would fuel anger into something productive. He has his chance, with the momentum of letting James go. But it remains to be seen how he’ll move the franchise, obviously pushed to the breaking point for the time being.
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