LeBron's Place in NBA History

LeBron James is trapped. In his eighth year in the NBA, he looks to his right and sees his idols Johnson and Jordan and his contemporaries Bryant and Wade with their legacies sealed with the power of a championship ring, or more. On his left he sees many of the games greatest, Barkley, Malone and Stockton whose legacies are as secure as the memories and statistics that undergird them. Witnesses that fade over time, unlike the luster and glitter of a championship season.

He still has time. But, the experiment in Miami is flawed. They need a true point guard, a difference maker at center and a power forward off the bench that can intimidate. The second coming of Charles Oakley would be nice. Even with those changes though, nothing is for certain. James and Wade seem far from the complimentary pieces they once proclaimed they were. Bosh has been good, but not the right fit either. The three may never be "good" together.

So, here James stands. He has time, but time for another offseason of trades and acquisitions? Time for another "Decision?" The reality is that it might have been easier to add one super star in Cleveland to join James and the gang than to find the right complimentary players in Miami to resolve the uncertainty in Miami.

At this point though, "The Chosen One" has to realistically look at where he and his team are going. If he truly wants to win, he needs to make some big decisions. He needs to trust others to have the ball in their hands, he has to add a post game to his arsenal and he has to listen to his coach. The great ones always do, because the great ones realize that they don't have all the answers.

LeBron James is standing on a precipice here. He is facing some of the most difficult challenges of his career. The road is not going to be as easy as he anticipated, we are seeing that play out right before our eyes. But how his career plays out is up to him. He can have a place at the table with those who have won NBA championships, or he can stand proudly with the others. There is no shame in that.

Here he is though. There is no quick fix. This is the challenge. It is now up to him to face it.