Los Angeles Lakers: David Griffin says its miserable building around LeBron James! LeBron Shocked!
By Ronald Agers
One of the biggest debates in Inside The NBA history may have provided insight into what David Griffin is talking about.
When the Golden State Warriors found reinforcements in Kevin Durant the next year, LeBron James got very frustrated with the Cavs roster. Even though the Cavaliers were near the top of the Eastern Conference standings, LeBron went off in the media when the Cavaliers were in a slump.
"“It’s like when you don’t have bodies. It’s tough,” James said. “The f—ing grind of the regular season. We’re a top-heavy team. We have a top-heavy team. We top-heavy as s—. It’s me, [Kyrie Irving], [Kevin Love]. It’s top-heavy.” “We need a f—ing playmaker,” James said. “I’m not saying you can just go find one, like you can go outside and see trees. I didn’t say that.”"
The subject got to the TNT set that Thursday night and Charles Barkley wanted to know what LeBron’s problem was. Shaquille O’Neal had no problems telling Charles in his outdoor voice.
Well, that conversation set off a media firestorm. LeBron James had his statement directed at Charles Barkley questioning his credibility, his past transgressions and even the 1993 Finals when Barkley was seen laughing with Michael Jordan.
"“I’m not going to let him disrespect my legacy like that,” James told ESPN. “I’m not the one who threw somebody through a window. I never spit on a kid. I never had unpaid debt in Las Vegas. I never said, ‘I’m not a role model.’ I never showed up to All-Star Weekend on Sunday because I was in Vegas all weekend partying.” All I’ve done for my entire career is represent the NBA the right way. Fourteen years, never got in trouble. Respected the game. Print that.”"
But the way Charles Barkley explained it with the All-Stars of Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson may have been what David Griffin was thinking at the time. The Cleveland Cavaliers were miles over the salary cap at the time. Plus the signing of Tristan Thompson and J.R. Smith to salary cap draining deals were linked to James’ influence as well.