The entire league spent two years building their teams and making roster/salary moves to prepare themselves for the start of free agency. The teams made a handful of players more important than competitive balance, team success, and maybe even franchise integrity. LeBron acted like he was bigger than the game, which I don't like, but it was true. Entire franchises and their fan-bases spent years strategizing for him to sign as a free agent. That's not his fault.
I won't say LeBron isn't arrogant or that the teams (including NYK, CHI, MIA) were wrong to act the way the did - but fans take out these frustrations on three players and I think their contempt is misdirected. I stopped being a fan of the NBA around this time, but it wasn't because three players fulfilled their contracts and then decided to play together in one of the planet's best cities.
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