The Cavaliers Waiting Until Today To Take Down Dan Gilbert's Infamous Letter Slamming LeBron From Their Website Is So Cleveland It Hurts

Pro Basketball Talk-The Cavaliers posted the letter to their official website with the URL http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/news/gilbert_letter_100708.html. For nearly four years – through at least yesterday – it remained hosted there. As of February, Gilbert still said he didn’t regret the letter. Now, it’s gone, replaced by links to news stories from journalistic outlets. Those links are preceded by a warning – “**NOTE: The news clips and articles listed don’t necessarily reflect the views or beliefs of the Cleveland Cavaliers or their Basketball Operations staff, partners, or sponsors.**” – but many of the articles discuss the possibility of the Cavaliers’ luring LeBron back to Cleveland. I don’t know what role Gilbert had in the letter remaining up so long or coming down in recent hours. Managing the team’s website is certainly below the pay grade of an NBA owner, but Gilbert is personally invested in controlling this message – whether it’s exiling LeBron four years ago or welcoming him back now. From LeBron’s perspective In 2010, the letter further divided him and Cleveland – and it reportedly did more than that. If the Cavaliers are to sign LeBron, a lot of healing must take place. Removing the letter from their website was one small step in that direction.

You can read the letter here.

So the hot rumor on the internet streets right now is that LeBron’s inner circle is urging him to leave Miami and return to Cleveland.  A city he famously stabbed in the back 4 years ago in front of the whole entire world on ESPN during The Decision.  Also famously, after that Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert wrote a letter to Cavs fans basically ripping LeBron to shreds and saying the Cavs would win an NBA title before LeBron did (that didn’t work out so well).  Well it turns out that it took them until today, when rumors are swirling about LeBron possibly returning, for the Cavaliers to take the letter down from their website.  Honestly, I’m not sure I’ve heard something more baffling.  The fact that it took them so long to take down the letter and that they kept the letter up for FOUR YEARS.  Why do that?  Why?  That’s so absurd and so Cleveland it hurts.  The letter looked so bad in hindsight I’m surprised they didn’t take it down after LeBron won his first title in Miami.  That at least might’ve made some sense.  Cleveland doing Cleveland things.

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Of course now the discussion shifts to “How could Cavs fans accept LeBron back after what he did to them?” and that answer is simple: they’re fans and he obviously gives them the best chance to win a title.  If LeBron does indeed go back and they welcome him with open arms, I say good for him and good for them.  I hate LeBron but that’s the best possible outcome if you’re rooting for a cool story.  I would do the same thing if I were a Cavs fan.  Fans are so fucking bi polar and have short memories it’s ridiculous but that’s part of what being a fan is.  If you’re telling me Cleveland fans wouldn’t root for LeBron as he carried them to a title then you’re high as a fucking kite.  Winning solves absolutely everything.  The knock on LeBron at this point in his career is that he’s not totally recognized with one city.  If he does back to Cleveland and wins a title or two, that’ll be his legacy and it’d be a pretty damn good one.