Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki: these are the last three NBA superstars we can remember as “lifers” in the modern NBA. There is something special about staying on the same team your whole career what if being loyal to your franchise is actually just overrated.
The last week has shocked NBA fans, and especially Heat Nation, who have lost their beloved superstar Dwayne Wade who once called American Airlines Arena his home after bringing a championship to South Beach in 2006. After winning two more championships it was integrated into fan’s heads that he was clearly a lifer. That changed two days ago.
Lets take it back to 2010 -- the Decision. Cleveland Cavaliers Forward, LeBron James, had decided on national television that he was leaving his hometown to join the Miami Heat with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. The burning of the jerseys had begun and this decision became a phenomenon. James was destined to bring Cleveland a championship but was that mission finally over. Cleveland fans had turned a 180 on James because he was their only hope. Four years later after winning two championships with the Heat, James returned home with the team he “wanted” and in his second year he brought home the Larry O’Brian Trophy. The reason why this is so important is because it questions whether loyalty is appealing to players anymore. James was able to fulfill his own goals first and then he was able to fulfill the needs of his hometown fans. If James had stayed in Cleveland, he might have not been able to bring home the prize and his goals would have not been met.
The Miami Heat offered Dwayne Wade a two year $40 million contract. The Chicago Bulls signed Wade for two years at $47 million. Seven million dollars was the difference between a hometown hero leaving his so called home and going back to his actual home where he grew up under harsh circumstances. Did Wade really want to go back to his hometown of Chicago or did he feel disrespected by Miami’s offer to him? We will never know the real answer, but we do know that his loyalty to the Heat is over.
Who knows when we will see the next set of superstars stay loyal to their respected teams. In this off-season, alone, we have seen Kevin Durant and Dwayne Wade leave their respected franchises. Is this the end of franchise loyalty? Time will only tell, as for now let us appreciate the likes of Dirk Nowitzki and Tim Duncan who have stuck with their times through the good and bad.
