LeBron James has often been considered the judge, jury and executioner when it comes to franchise-changing moves, something that was made evident from his opening stint with the Miami Heat, as a team of All-Stars suddenly had to find role players to put around them. The Los Angeles Lakers star is naturally also a target to blame when things go haywire, as he has received the fault for a subpar first season in Los Angeles.
However, ESPN's Brian Windhorst, who has followed James throughout his entire basketball career, noted it's ironically different for James, who often influences decisions without putting his stamp nor his Hancock on them:
“In perfect irony, despite what the world assumes, sometimes James' teams wish he would be so declarative. It's that he's frequently NOT willing to make clear requests that can often be a problem,” wrote Windhorst. “Sometimes teams would love a black-and-white answer while James usually operates in a world of gray.
“James has mastered the art of influencing decisions without taking ownership of them. If he were to issue a hard-and-fast edict, then the team would know he was fully willing to stand behind it and take blame, or credit, when it works or fails.
“James doesn't want to do this. He has long operated where his teammates, coaches and strategies change massively from opening night to the last game of any season. He has changed entire franchises three times.”
James has put himself in a position to have his voice heard, given his penchant as a superstar in this league, yet he has shied away from the responsibility once signings no longer work out or mishit altogether.
According to several reports, former Lakers president Magic Johnson consulted with James before bringing in the likes of Rajon Rondo, Michael Beasley, Lance Stephenson and JaVale McGee, but it was Johnson who ultimately made the decision and the one who got the blame for it at day's end.
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