By Tyler Krimpelbein, staff writer
LeBron James returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers this summer. LeBron is a Cleveland native and has never been afraid to show that. Nobody in sports represents his or her hometown as much as James.
So why exactly did James leave in 2010 to take his talent to Miami? Cleveland was consistent in making the playoffs every year, and maybe just needed to continue to grow and gain experience?
Dan Gilbert, the owner of the Cavaliers, failed to put the right talent around his star. Players like Shaquille O’Neal, Antawn Jamison, Daniel Gib- son, Leon Powe, and Zydrunas Ilgaus- kas were a part of the “big picture” for Gilbert.
So perhaps James never wanted to actually leave his hometown team, but he had a great idea.
James knew the Cavaliers would fall apart without him. Giving the Cavaliers good draft picks, and time to grow.
The four years LeBron was absent from Cleveland, the Cavaliers had three No. 1 picks in the draft, which is an accomplishment, noting that the draft order is picked on odds of a lottery.
By him leaving the team, not only did the Cavaliers get better, so did James. He was able to win in the playoffs and learn how to handle it all.
James was allowed to gain championship experience to be able to lead his team in the future.
Makes sense, right? So was this all a plan? Was there really a question whether James was going to return home again?
Cleveland now has talent around James. Kyrie Irving was last years All-Star game MVP , Kevin Love has been proven as the league most consis- tent double-double machine, and Dion Waiters is a growing talent and will surprise a lot of people.
The main goal is one championship in Cleveland, so don’t expect LeBron to get to the finals every year like he did in Miami.
James is going to have to do more himself now, unlike when he had Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh by his side.