July 16, 201412 yr Author They all sacrificed. Let's not act like Wade made 2 million a season. Definitely. They all sacrificed. But if you look at things in terms of who sacrificed most, it's hard to say that there's an answer other than Wade. I'm not saying Wade was the only one that did, or that I'm really a fan of him, but I think it's fair to say that he was the one who really made the bigger sacrifices. He was in the last years of what is probably going to be the peak of his earnings potential, whereas LeBron and Bosh weren't. Even if we aren't talking economics, LeBron leaving Cleveland wasn't the worst thing (despite the fact that he could have went about it better) and Bosh leaving Toronto wasn't a tough choice. He's been loyal to the Heat, recruited LeBron and Bosh during the Olympics, and been far more successful than anyone not named LeBron from his draft class. Not bad for the spot they took him in and for a guy whose playing in a town that has plenty on it's mind other than sports. Even this year, he opted out and took 3/4ths of the value of his past contract (the one he'd sacrificed on earlier already) and, as you mentioned, that he probably had an idea LeBron was gone.
July 16, 201412 yr James: Season Team Lg Salary 2003-04 Cleveland Cavaliers NBA $4,018,920 2004-05 Cleveland Cavaliers NBA $4,320,360 2005-06 Cleveland Cavaliers NBA $4,621,800 2006-07 Cleveland Cavaliers NBA $5,828,090 2007-08 Cleveland Cavaliers NBA $13,041,250 2008-09 Cleveland Cavaliers NBA $14,410,581 2009-10 Cleveland Cavaliers NBA $15,779,912 2010-11 Miami Heat NBA $14,500,000 2011-12 Miami Heat NBA $16,022,500 2012-13 Miami Heat NBA $17,545,000 2013-14 Miami Heat NBA $19,067,500 Career (may be incomplete) $129,155,913
July 16, 201412 yr Definitely. They all sacrificed. But if you look at things in terms of who sacrificed most, it's hard to say that there's an answer other than Wade. I'm not saying Wade was the only one that did, or that I'm really a fan of him, but I think it's fair to say that he was the one who really made the bigger sacrifices. He was in the last years of what is probably going to be the peak of his earnings potential, whereas LeBron and Bosh weren't. Even if we aren't talking economics, LeBron leaving Cleveland wasn't the worst thing (despite the fact that he could have went about it better) and Bosh leaving Toronto wasn't a tough choice. He's been loyal to the Heat, recruited LeBron and Bosh during the Olympics, and been far more successful than anyone not named LeBron from his draft class. Not bad for the spot they took him in and for a guy whose playing in a town that has plenty on it's mind other than sports. Even this year, he opted out and took 3/4ths of the value of his past contract (the one he'd sacrificed on earlier already) and, as you mentioned, that he probably had an idea LeBron was gone. They were all drafted in 2003. Lebron and Bosh both sacrificed max contracts with the teams that drafted them to join up with Wade. There is no way Wade sacrificed more than Bosh and James when they could have stayed with their original teams for an extra year worth 20 million.
July 16, 201412 yr Author They all signed for less than the max. Why is Wade the only one considered to be making a sacrifice? Because the CBA is set up so someone remaining with their original team, especially after completion of their rookie deal, can command more money from that team and only that team (provided the team is willing to pay them) than they can from any other. He had more to leave on the table than anyone else, but still recruited guys to come play with him. That's not something you see someone like Carmelo doing. I'm not saying James or Bosh didn't sacrifice, but if Wade were all about the money, especially considering that he already had his ring from 2006, he could have played it much differently than he did. Wade has never been the highest paid guy on his team, and was still making less than James and Bosh, despite having a much shorter shelf life due to the fact that he was a few years older and had more injuries already. They were all drafted the same year, but Wade redshirted and stayed in college longer. Bosh was 1 and out, James preps-to-pros.
July 16, 201412 yr Author They were all drafted in 2003. Lebron and Bosh both sacrificed max contracts with the teams that drafted them to join up with Wade. There is no way Wade sacrificed more than Bosh and James when they could have stayed with their original teams for an extra year worth 20 million. Wade doesn't have the marketing potential or longevity of James, who could make his money anywhere. He didn't have the longevity of Bosh, nor did he have the luxury of playing a position that was considered the in vogue thing going in the league and wasn't very deep to big with. Love him or hate him, look at archives from 2010 when guys like Dan LeBatard (who I'm not really a fan of) was writing things like this: "Something that doesn't have a lot of precedent in American sports happened then. Wade called Bosh and asked him to cut $15 million off his salary for Haslem. Wade called James and asked him to do the same. Bosh and James barely knew Haslem. Just a few short conversations here and there. But Wade told them this team needed someone hungry and gritty and unselfish like Haslem, and promised to cut $17 million out of his own contract to make it happen, too." Victoria Advocate | Haslem meant so much to Wade that star sacrificed millions to keep him in Miami.
July 16, 201412 yr Wade doesn't have the marketing potential or longevity of James, who could make his money anywhere. He didn't have the longevity of Bosh, nor did he have the luxury of playing a position that was considered the in vogue thing going in the league and wasn't very deep to big with. Love him or hate him, look at archives from 2010 when guys like Dan LeBatard (who I'm not really a fan of) was writing things like this: "Something that doesn't have a lot of precedent in American sports happened then. Wade called Bosh and asked him to cut $15 million off his salary for Haslem. Wade called James and asked him to do the same. Bosh and James barely knew Haslem. Just a few short conversations here and there. But Wade told them this team needed someone hungry and gritty and unselfish like Haslem, and promised to cut $17 million out of his own contract to make it happen, too." Victoria Advocate | Haslem meant so much to Wade that star sacrificed millions to keep him in Miami. People give Riley the credit, but Wade was the main architect and recruiter for the past four seasons.
July 16, 201412 yr So what keeps a group of high level guys from doing a $5M/each contract with the same team? Think Durant, James, Bosh, Howard, Williams all going to play in LA or Phoenix to win titles. Pride? Ego?
July 16, 201412 yr Because the CBA is set up so someone remaining with their original team, especially after completion of their rookie deal, can command more money from that team and only that team (provided the team is willing to pay them) than they can from any other. He had more to leave on the table than anyone else, but still recruited guys to come play with him. That's not something you see someone like Carmelo doing. I'm not saying James or Bosh didn't sacrifice, but if Wade were all about the money, especially considering that he already had his ring from 2006, he could have played it much differently than he did. Wade has never been the highest paid guy on his team, and was still making less than James and Bosh, despite having a much shorter shelf life due to the fact that he was a few years older and had more injuries already. They were all drafted the same year, but Wade redshirted and stayed in college longer. Bosh was 1 and out, James preps-to-pros. Exactly. They all left the same amount on the table when they decided to play together. James has never been the highest paid player on any of his teams either. LeBron James has never been the highest paid player on his team | For The Win I never said Wade was about the money. The ONLY point I am trying to make is that Lebron didn't cost Wade squat. Wade did that to himself. Once folks started saying he sacrificed more I was like...hold up....James and Bosh sacrificed also to go play in Miami. How much money did they miss out on to go play in Miami? The bolded has nothing to do with this discussion. Their years served in the NBA determines what their contract will be. They all started in 2003 and they all sacrificed the same amount of money in 2010 to play together.
July 16, 201412 yr So what keeps a group of high level guys from doing a $5M/each contract with the same team? Think Durant, James, Bosh, Howard, Williams all going to play in LA or Phoenix to win titles. Pride? Ego? The union. If a player ever takes considerably less than market value then they'll screw over every single player in the league.
July 16, 201412 yr LeBron James has never been the highest paid player on his team | For The Win Not the point of the article, but those photos provided a nice history of the ever rising headband......
July 16, 201412 yr Not the point of the article, but those photos provided a nice history of the ever rising headband...... Man... You ain't kiddin'. :lol2:
July 16, 201412 yr The union. If a player ever takes considerably less than market value then they'll screw over every single player in the league. Exactly. They have a responsibility despite making millions away from the court, that puts a hamper on so many others.
July 16, 201412 yr Author Exactly. They all left the same amount on the table when they decided to play together. James has never been the highest paid player on any of his teams either. LeBron James has never been the highest paid player on his team | For The Win I never said Wade was about the money. The ONLY point I am trying to make is that Lebron didn't cost Wade squat. Wade did that to himself. Once folks started saying he sacrificed more I was like...hold up....James and Bosh sacrificed also to go play in Miami. How much money did they miss out on to go play in Miami? The bolded has nothing to do with this discussion. Their years served in the NBA determines what their contract will be. They all started in 2003 and they all sacrificed the same amount of money in 2010 to play together. I know what you're saying. For me, the 'sacrifice' part come in everyone knowing Wade's playing days were numbered because of injury. He was a 4 year college guy who redshirted one year even before that IIRC... so it's not really fair to say he's the same age as James or Bosh... NBA guys decline past 27 or so. Performance drops and teams don't want to pay them as much. Regardless, you knew James and Bosh were going to have other big paydays, but for Wade, that was probably going to be his last. That's a huge deal when you are an athlete. Some guys leave and go to teams they don't want to because they want security not for themselves, but for the next generations, and one way to do that is to leave somewhere like Los Angeles, Boston, or San Antonio, and go sign with a team like Detroit, Charlotte, or Atlanta that's willing to overpay you. For LeBron, anything he left on the table in Miami, he could make that up with endorsements, etc. if he moved into a bigger market. If LeBron were all about the money, he'd have been a Knick for a few years now.
July 16, 201412 yr Author Not the point of the article, but those photos provided a nice history of the ever rising headband...... Man... You ain't kiddin'. :lol2: Come on guys. I know you don't know me personally, but I'm not yet 30 and just shaved my head a couple of days ago because I refuse to ever be "comb over guy" and will allow any of you where see me as "comb over guy" to just hold me down and shave my head to put me out of my misery. :thumb:
July 16, 201412 yr I know what you're saying. For me, the 'sacrifice' part come in everyone knowing Wade's playing days were numbered because of injury. He was a 4 year college guy who redshirted one year even before that IIRC... so it's not really fair to say he's the same age as James or Bosh... NBA guys decline past 27 or so. Performance drops and teams don't want to pay them as much. Regardless, you knew James and Bosh were going to have other big paydays, but for Wade, that was probably going to be his last. That's a huge deal when you are an athlete. Some guys leave and go to teams they don't want to because they want security not for themselves, but for the next generations, and one way to do that is to leave somewhere like Los Angeles, Boston, or San Antonio, and go sign with a team like Detroit, Charlotte, or Atlanta that's willing to overpay you. For LeBron, anything he left on the table in Miami, he could make that up with endorsements, etc. if he moved into a bigger market. If LeBron were all about the money, he'd have been a Knick for a few years now. Come on Joker....Wade opted out of the last 2 years 40 million of his contract. That's on him. All that stuff about age and injuries doesn't matter. He had the money. And he gave it up to try to lure Lebron back to Miami and he failed. If Lebron was about the money he'd have never left Cleveland. He has already proven that his location doesn't matter as far as his endorsement money goes.
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