LeBron James chose to take his talents to South Beach in July of 2010, joining the Miami Heat after seven seasons of service with his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers. It was a landmark decision for James, as he went on to win his first championship with Miami.
With James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh on the roster, the Heat were a force to be reckoned with. In their first season together, they made it all the way to the NBA Finals as Eastern Conference champions. Unfortunately, though, Miami was defeated by Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks, 4-2. In the following campaign, however, the Heat hoisted the Larry O'Brien trophy after topping the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Finals, 4-1.
In his third season with the team, James made every Heat news buzzing as he won his fourth MVP Award and led Miami to another title, defeating the San Antonio Spurs in seven games. The “Big Three” of James, Wade and Bosh were rolling. In fact, the trio of stars led Miami on a 27-game winning streak during that regular season, which became the third-longest such streak in NBA history.
James and the Heat were on a quest for a three-peat in the 2013-14 season. Unfortunately, though, their hopes were dashed in the Finals, where they lost in a rematch against the Spurs, 4-1. It was following this campaign that LeBron decided to come home to Cleveland and rejoin the Cavs.
LeBron penned a heartfelt essay for Sports Illustrated, explaining his decision and thanking the Heat organization and its fans:
“These past four years helped raise me into who I am,” James wrote, referring to his stint with the Heat. “I became a better player and a better man. I learned from a franchise that had been where I wanted to go. I will always think of Miami as my second home. Without the experiences I had there, I wouldn’t be able to do what I’m doing today.”
But what if he hadn't left? What if LeBron stayed in Miami, despite the fact that Bosh would no longer be playing due to health concerns? Would team president Pat Riley have looked to keep Wade and James together? Would Riley have gone after another big to fill the void created by Bosh's absence? Or would the Heat have looked for talent in the draft?
These are questions that will go unanswered. One thing is sure, though: Miami would have been a title contender if James had stayed. There are some, including Riley, who feel that the Heat's reign could've lived on for years. “When LeBron made that call, I saw a dynasty fly out the window,” Riley said, via Bleacher Report.
Pat Riley tells @LeBatardShow he saw a "10-year team" disappear with LeBron's decision to leave Miami. pic.twitter.com/lbZK4mzz9o
— ESPN (@espn) February 19, 2019
Miami was no longer a title contender after James left town. This season, however, with Jimmy Butler leading the charge, the Heat appear to be on-track for a spot in the postseason.
James' decision to leave the Heat in favor of the Cavs was met with a fair amount of scrutiny. His choice worked out in the end, though, as he went on to lead his hometown team to their first championship in franchise history in 2016.
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