Cavs unaware Dan Gilbert’s letter is a issue for LeBron James
By Mike Dyce
One of the biggest questions about LeBron James’ possible return to the Cleveland Cavaliers is how he could play for owner Dan Gilbert again after that scathing letter he released back in 2010. ESPN columnist J.A. Adande made the question the center of a well-written post that makes you re-think the feel good story James returning to the Cavaliers would be.
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“LeBron produced the sharpest and most noteworthy criticism of Clippers owner Donald Sterling after TMZ made Sterling’s racially offensive diatribes public, saying ‘it’s unacceptable in our league,'” Adande wrote. “No one has accused Gilbert of holding the same misguided racial perceptions as Sterling. With Gilbert, it’s about the personal attacks on LeBron’s character, and his diametrically opposed views on the business of the NBA.”
Adande added: “A return to the Cavaliers by James would be a tacit endorsement of all he rejected. It wouldn’t represent just a swallowing of his own pride — it would be a surrender in the battle for self-determination for NBA players.”
A valid point, and one that seems to be crossing the mind of LeBron James as he decides what he wants to do in his future. In a post on ESPN from NBA insider Chris Broussard, he says the letter is in fact playing a role in postponing LeBron’s decision.
"“If it wasn’t for that letter, this would’ve been done awhile ago,” one source said."
Not all too surprising that this would be weighing on James’ mind. A league exec reiterated what Adande wrote in his column to Broussard.
"“He condemned Sterling but he’s going back to the [expletive] who nearly called him an uppity [expletive],” one league executive said. “Hypocrite.”"
The James line has been that he needs to discuss the decision with his family, and a decision is expected before he leaves to head to Brazil for the World Cup.
[UPDATE:] That last quote was removed from Broussard’s post, presumably after Chris Sheridan questioned it on Twitter. The folks at SB Nation screen shotted it before hand.
