Fansided

LeBron James is the villain now, but it won’t last for long

By Jonathan Bass

June 14, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James speaks to media following the 104-91 loss against the Golden State Warriors in game five of the NBA Finals. at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
June 14, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James speaks to media following the 104-91 loss against the Golden State Warriors in game five of the NBA Finals. at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 10, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) talks with forward Kevin Love (0) during a timeout from the game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. The Cavs beat the Mavs 127-94. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports /

Basketball is an organic sport. It takes five pieces moving with fluidity to truly work at its highest level. At its peak, a team operates like muscle memory. Players know where their teammates are, where they will be and where they like the ball. Snap decisions and perfect harmony.

Completely overhauling a team and expecting a championship in Year 1 is ridiculous. So, too, is expecting every player, without ever having played significant minutes with his teammate, to get along immediately. The Cavaliers faced a melange of styles and personalities sorting themselves out (on and off the court) in front of the public eye – both early in the year and after the midseason trades.

Again, it’s the same situation as in Miami. The running subplot of the Heat’s 2010-11 season was who the team’s alpha was: James or Dwyane Wade. At times they both tried to take over games. Other moments they’d both defer. Who would get the last shot? Who would set the defense? Who ruled the roost?

Beyond that, there was enigmatic Chris Bosh. After their loss to the Mavericks in the NBA Finals, there was heavy chatter that the Heat might part with Bosh and consider him part a failed experiment.

While the Cavs don’t have the same alpha problems, the Bosh situation is nearly identical to that of Kevin Love from this past year. A superstar big man on a fledgling franchise goes from top dog to the third option. In the prehistoric days before blogs, social media and 24-hour news coverage, issues between the teammates would be settled in the locker room. Now it all plays out on the back page of every news publication in America.

Beyond that, it’s not normal for a fan to gravitate towards an offseason Frankenstein. Watching a team cobbled together through front and back-room deals win a championship is unholy to the basketball purist. It’s the same reason some people dislike John Calipari’s brand of basketball at Kentucky: teams should take more than four months to gel.

As we drift into next season, the newness of the Cavs will wear off. Kevin Love, despite rumors of opting out and heading west, will find contentment in his role. Fans will view the team as more than a one-hit wonder. Teammates will have more games under their belts and look more fluid. Weirdly, a team constructed from nearly scratch only one year prior will appear organic. It makes the pill easier to swallow, and takes pressure off the franchise’s superstar.

Next: 3: Coaching comes around

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