LeBron James' greatness speaks for itself, as he has made it to the Finals seven times consecutively, and is now seeking to make it eight. After barely scraping by the Indiana Pacers, he destroyed the Toronto Raptors in a clean sweep, but now he faces a formidable Boston Celtics team led by head coach Brad Stevens.
LeBron is always going to face criticism throughout his career for how great he is, but he has to be judged for choosing to play in the Eastern Conference with both the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Everyone knows that the Eastern Conference has been weaker than the competitive Western Conference for many years, and although the East is picking up, it still is not as tough as the West.
He is also criticized for needing help to get to the NBA Finals and win, despite making everyone around him better.
Although I believe that the Cavaliers have a chance to beat the Celtics in the series, despite being down 2-0, I do not want to see the greatest player in the world reach another NBA Finals, and here is why.
Same story, same result
We have seen the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors battle it out for the championship for the past three years as the Warriors have gotten the better of the Cavs -- winning two out of three times.
LeBron James was terrific back in 2015 against the Warriors, as the series lasted six games, without having the assistance of both Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving.
That is the team that the Cavaliers resemble currently. The next year, it would be a Finals for the ages as LeBron and company came back from a 3-1 deficit to win the championship and end a Cleveland drought. But then last year, Kevin Durant chose to join the Warriors and they outplayed the Cavs to win.
This is precisely why I do not want to see LeBron reach the NBA Finals in this year's playoffs because I know that he will undoubtedly lose once again to the Warriors.
He knows it deep down inside that no matter what he does he will lose. The dominant team was able to add Kevin Durant to their squad and make it almost impossible to defeat them. Durant single-handedly ruined the NBA playoffs last year -- and this year.
Since trading away Kyrie Irving, the Cavaliers have been a shell of themselves and their attitude on the court at times throughout the season has been depressing.
The team is just not the same without Kyrie and it is clear as day that the Celtics won the trade, as Isaiah Thomas did not fit with the team and they ended up completely overhauling their roster.
LeBron would lose against both the Rockets and the Warriors because of the talent that each team has. He has more of a chance to win if the Rockets advance. Still, with another loss, his record in the Finals would be 3-6, and this, in turn, would shatter his legacy.
Where will LeBron go next?
All signs point to LeBron leaving next season. He does not owe the team anything after bringing home a championship in 2016. In my opinion, he can go to many other destinations to contend for titles until father time starts knocking on the door.
The three teams that LeBron should consider going to are the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, or the Philadelphia 76ers. He would be criticized greatly if he joined the Warriors or Celtics, which most likely won't happen.
The best fit for him in my eyes would be the Lakers. I believe that the system in place and the young talent around him would make the team a contender in the West. If he wants to win titles the best option would be the Rockets or the San Antonio Spurs. But the Spurs would most likely be out of the equation because of the mystery surrounding Kawhi Leonard's future.
Paul George is also going to have to choose where he wants to go next and he has expressed his desire to play for the Lakers in the past -- and could go there this summer.
James would be able to pair with George after being adversaries in the East for many years, and contend for titles.
The Rockets are enticing, though LeBron would receive backlash for joining a superteam like the Warriors. The Sixers might not be a great move for the franchise because it would slow down Ben Simmons' development, but it would be intriguing if he joined them.
LeBron James' decision could depend on where Leonard or George choose to play next season. I believe that LeBron will not be a member of the Cavaliers after all the dysfunction with the team this season, and if he wants to win more titles, he should join the Rockets or Lakers. The Lakers would be the best fit with their fast-paced offense, young talent, and the money to sign superstar talent.
