BOSTON -- Even before he reached the locker room, he had whipped his Cavaliers headband into the stands, tugged anxiously at his Cavaliers shorts and stripped off his Cavaliers jersey with disgust, leaving nothing but a vacant black T-shirt. If this wasn't heavy symbolism about LeBron James and his future, what exactly was it? He kept walking through the hallway of the raucous enemy arena, then turned into the room and immediately threw his jersey toward the equipment manager, as if to say, well, you know.Take this uniform and shove it.
"LeBron is leaving! LeBron is leaving! ... New York Knicks! New York Knicks!" came the derisive chants of the Boston fans, knowing that the final seconds of the Eastern Conference semifinals very well could have been the final seconds of the James era in sorry, woebegone Cleveland. And really, why shouldn't Thursday evening have marked the end of a maddening early phase of what still could be an all-time career -- but only if he escapes to a market and franchise that allow him to win NBA championships? It's hard to believe James will re-sign with the Cavaliers this summer after the way he and his teammates wilted so feebly against the Celtics, who performed like a mature, purposeful, defensive-driven machine in a six-game dismissal of a team that wasn't well-coached or conceived, even with LeBron as the epicenter.
He needs a new residence, away from his native northeast Ohio, where he can shake the pressure of saving a city and replace it with more reasonable objectives of simply beginning his championship trail. After the 94-85 elimination loss in Game 6, he sat in the interview room and confirmed that, yes, he and his advisers will pursue an aggressive free-agency battle plan in the coming weeks. Presumably, he'll attack the process with considerably more vigor than he attacked the Celtics, who systematically diminished his skills to humble averages over the four series losses: 22 points, 36.8 percent shooting, 2-of-17 from the three-point line and six turnovers. Was this LeBron James? Or Mike James?
"I'm gonna approach this summer with the right mindset. Me and my team are going to figure out the best course for me," said James, who didn't wear a Yankees cap or deliver any other hint. "I love the city of Cleveland. It was a disappointing season, to say the least, but we'll see what happens.
"I want to win. That's my only thing, my only concern. I've always prided myself -- it's all about winning for me and I think the Cavs are committed to doing that. But at the same time, I've given myself options to this point. Me and my team, we have a game plan that we'll execute and we'll see where we're at."
Bernanke: Fed Could Reduce Stimulus Later This Year
Murkowski Backs Gay Marriage
Michael Hastings Dead At 33
'Today' About To Undergo Another Overhaul
Report Highlights Climate-Poverty Link
FBI Director: We Use Drones In The U.S.
Valerie Plame Rolls Eyes At Dick Cheney Calling Snowden A 'Traitor: 'The Irony!'
Is LinkedIn A Stalking Ground?
Rand Paul Says Someone Should Have Been Fired 9/11 Intelligence Failures
John Oliver To GOP: 'Go Back To Where You Came From'
Republicans Want To Drug Test Food Stamp Recipients
Karl Rove: Obama's No Dick Cheney -- He's Worse
How Immigration Push Shapes Rubio's 2016 Chances
WATCH: GOP Congressman Says Children Should Learn About Traditional Gender Roles In School
Republicans Reject Signature Bush Law
Pregnant And Fired: Employers Routinely Discriminate Against Pregnant Women, Report Says
Drone 'Signature Strike' Witness Fears For Son
WATCH: Maddow's Moving Tribute To Michael Hastings
From Child Hero To Murder Suspect
'When You Hear The Gunshots, You Shake A Little Bit'
Huff TV: WATCH: Mika And 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' Star Talk Third Metric In Bed
Miracle Moves John Paul II Another Step Towards Sainthood
Heat Not Done Yet!
Banks Caught In How Many Mortgage Settlement Violations?
Berlin Is Hot For Obama
Americans Still Conflicted About School Prayer
The Government's Other Target In The Bradley Manning Trial: Julian Assange
Karzai Suspends Talks With U.S. Over Taliban Negotiations
Protests Rage In Brazil's Largest City
