@TheJaxShow Wish Commish Stern could fine Cavs owner Dan Gilbert another $100,000 for being a fake Ohioan
And in the case of Dan dawgs man, MAN dawgs Dan...
Stern says Miami's Big 3 acted within rights; Fines Cavs owner $100,000 for "Extreme" Remarks
NBA commissioner David Stern congratulated LeBron James on his decision. He just wishes it came without ``The Decision.'' Stern said Monday he would have advised James to tell the Cleveland Cavaliers of his choice to leave for the Miami Heat earlier than he did, and that the two-time MVP's public announcement shouldn't have come in a made-for-television special that attracted nearly 10 million viewers.
The commissioner said James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh violated no league rules in discussing free agency among themselves, and that the league isn't investigating how the Heat managed to land all three. That doesn't mean Stern didn't take issue with certain elements of free agency, particularly James' decision to say he was leaving Cleveland on ESPN.
[Otherwise], Stern also took action against Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert, fining him $100,000 for words that the commissioner described as ``a little bit extreme.'' Gilbert released a sharp-tongued statement shortly after James' announcement last Thursday, calling it ``narcissistic'' and ``cowardly behavior.'' Later, Gilbert told The Associated Press in a phone interview that he felt James quit on the Cavs during the playoffs the past two years.
James, Wade and Bosh all decided last week to play together in Miami, working out six-year deals after talking with each other at times throughout the free-agent process. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said Sunday he wanted the NBA to examine how all three joined the same team. But in the Monday meeting of the league's Board of Governors, no formal complaints were levied, Stern said.
``Our players, having negotiated for the right to be free agents at some point in their career, are totally within their rights to seek employment with any other team,'' Stern said. ``That's something we agreed to. That's something we embrace. That's our system.'' Further, Stern said James was ``entitled'' to make his move to South Florida. He also congratulated Miami for its free-agent approach.`` Miami did a pretty good job of clearing out cap space and putting together a plan,'' Stern said.
