NBA Fines Gilbert for LeBron James Outburst
Two hundred and thirty four dollars. That’s how much every single word cost Cavaliers owner Dan Brown in his respondent letter to LeBron James on Thursday.
The NBA today announced that it has fined the Cleveland Cavaliers owner $100,000 for the remarks he made on the eve of James’s decision to “take his talents to South Beach.”
NBA Commissioner David Stern said at a press conference Monday that Gilbert’s words, “though understandable, were ill-advised and imprudent.”
Take that, free speech!
Within less than an hour after LeBron’s ESPN special “The Decision,” Gilbert released a letter on the Cavaliers official website slamming James’s decision to leave as a “cowardly betrayal” and a “shocking act of disloyalty” to his home town Cleveland fans.
James joined the Cavaliers out of high school, and played forward for the team for his first seven NBA seasons.
In a press conference transcribed to the NBA’s website Monday, Stern agreed that James was “certainly entitled” to leave the team, but also added that in retrospect he would have advised the mega-star to manage the departure and its announcement differently.
"I think that the advice that he received on this was poor. But his performance was fine. His honesty and his integrity I think shine through, but this decision was ill-conceived, badly produced and poorly executed," Stern said.
It is unclear what ‘decision’ Stern was talking about, be it the decision to go to Miami itself, or the ESPN special.
Gilbert also announced that during the week of his free agency, LeBron James neglected to return a single call or text message, effectively rendering himself on hiatus to the franchise. Gilbert was particularly fumed that James did not announce his decision to the team personally before going public with it, so that they could prepare and not be dealt the shock and surprise of learning in the moment.
On a related note, Stern was quick to criticize civil rights leader Jesse Jackson for comments he made in response to Gilbert’s letter. Jackson said some days ago that Gilbert’s letter showed a “property-owner’s mentality,” and speculated that Gilbert considered James’ in the same light as one would consider a slave.
"Equally imprudent I believe are the remarks by my good friend Jesse Jackson, which purport to make this into a racial matter...he really is mistaken," Stern confounded.
Before his decision to play for Miami Heat with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, James, a two time NBA MVP, analysed prospects with several teams, including New York, Chicago, and Cleveland.
During his live announcement, he said the decision had nothing to do with money, and everything to do simply with one thing.
"The major factor was the best opportunity to win now and to win in the future." James said.
Analysts praised James for taking on a lower salary, as he would have received much more money staying with the Cavs or even signing with the Knicks, but others criticized him as ‘taking the easy way out’ in signing with two other superstars. Few have even been bold enough as to call him a ‘cheater’ and to suggest that his decision negated the goodness of previous NBA seasons and his image.
James led the Cavs to the NBA finals in 2007, where they were defeated by the San Antonio Spurs. This was the sole time the team was in the finals, despite management bringing in talent such as Shaquille O’Neal and Antawn Jamison.
James was also criticized this year for apparently quitting for the Cavs in the play-offs, and playing uncommonly poorly against the Boston Celtics in the opening round.
Tags: