FOR THE FIRST time since February 2006, LeBron James has a losing record in a calendar month (minimum 10 games) – and he’s not happy.
Fresh from taking aim at the Cleveland Cavaliers’ front office for their failure to strengthen their roster, James and the Cavs went down to the Dallas Mavericks in a stunning 104-97 loss on Monday night.
This time he directed his frustrations at Inside the NBA pundit Charles Barkley, who questioned the four-time MVP’s leadership as the Cavs chase back-to-back NBA titles.
“Inappropriate. Whiny. All of the above,” Barkley said of James last week. “The Cleveland Cavaliers, they have given him everything he wanted. They have the highest payroll in NBA history.
Barkley continued: “He wanted J.R. Smith last summer, they paid him. He wanted [Iman] Shumpert last summer. They brought in Kyle Korver. He’s the best player in the world. Does he want all of the good players? He don’t want to compete? He is an amazing player. They’re the defending champs.”
“He’s a hater,” James told ESPN in response. “What makes what he says credible? Because he’s on TV?
“I’m not going to let him disrespect my legacy like that. I’m not the one who threw somebody through a window. I never spit on a kid. I never had unpaid debt in Las Vegas. I never said, ‘I’m not a role model.’ I never showed up to All-Star Weekend on Sunday because I was in Vegas all weekend partying.
“All I’ve done for my entire career is represent the NBA the right way. Fourteen years, never got in trouble. Respected the game. Print that.
“I’m tired of biting my tongue,” James added. “There’s a new sheriff in town.”
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Barkley was always a tramp
Barkley was right. LeBron already has the highest paid team in the league. If he wants to complain about not having a backup point guard he should go to the boardroom, not the media.
Bringing Barkley’s past into it is a cheapshot aimed at deflecting from Barkley’s argument. I respect LeBron as a player but going public was a dumb move, just as ‘the decision’ was.
The decision worked out pretty well for him in fairness
The decision itself was a good one. The live broadcast announcing the decision was a mistake, and judging by how he announced his return to Cleveland I think LeBron knows it.
One only has to look at the warriors to understand why lebron is freaking out. Cavs sneak by in a finals series that could easily have gone the other way, and then the warriors go and add Durant! Can’t see the cavs competing with this years warriors team.
Lebron as usual will give it a 110%, be the best player in the series, and then get criticized for been overrun by a superior team.
Another know all pundit. If he knew all he thinks he knew he’d be a coach.
Lebron has Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, The highest paid roster in the league and they just brought in a great shooter in Kyle Korver. Shut the “f” up and play the game. Stop being a whiney little bytch.