Reviewing LeBron’s everlasting chess match with Danny Ainge and the Celtics

On June 14th, 2007 The San Antonio Spurs had completed a sweep over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. LeBron James’ 22 points per game were not enough to grab his Cavs even a single win. It was obvious to LeBron that he needed more to get over the hump. He needed more from the Cavs front office, more from his coaches, more from his teammates, but more than any of that, he needed more from himself. This LeBron James was only 22 years old. He wasn’t the global icon, entrepreneur, or media mogul he is today. He was only four years out of high school and somehow led his team to the NBA finals. He knew he was capable of being an NBA champ, he just needed precision, and of course, some luck.
Two weeks later the Celtics shipped Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West and the number five overall pick for Sonics guard Ray Allen. Heads were all of a sudden turned towards a Celtics team that just had an abysmal season (the second worst in Celtics history). A month later the Celtics sent five players and a couple draft picks to the Timberwolves for superstar forward Kevin Garnett. The Celtics had managed to surround their franchise player Paul Pierce with a former MVP and one of the greatest shooters in NBA history. It didn’t take long to pay off either. Boston’s shocking offseason turned a team that won 24 games into a team that went on to win 66 and raise another banner for the storied franchise.
Ironically, the team that wears jerseys with shamrocks stitched into the back was plagued with terrible luck. A Kevin Garnett knee injury left them short of the finals in 2009. If that wasn’t bad enough, a Kendrick Perkins injury in the 2010 Finals left them short of a second title in their big three era. The Celtics dynasty was on it’s last legs. Can you really blame it though? It had won a championship, and stayed relevant in an eastern conference that included Dwight Howard, Dwayne Wade, and of course, LeBron James.
While the Celtics were focused on getting back to the finals in 2010 they might have also been the fuel that drove LeBron away from Cleveland. Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers continued to remind the King the kind of precision and excellence it takes to dominate a conference year after year. This was more evident than ever in the Celtics-Cavs 2010 eastern conference semis. The Celtics sent LeBron into free agency after closing out the series in six. Boston had poked the beast one too many times. LeBron knew he needed more than Mo Williams, Antwan Jamison, and a 38 year old Shaq to get back to the finals. A two time MVP in the middle of his prime was done waiting around. He was ready to lead a team to a championship, and that meant finding a way to get past Boston.
The following summer LeBron joined Miami Heat franchise player Dwayne Wade in Miami and picked up all star forward Chris Bosh along the way. The 26 year old James took front office duties into his own hands. He took Boston’s championship formula from a few years back, tweaked it, and prepared himself to take over the basketball world. Miami closed out Boston in 5 in the 2011 postseason. In 2012 LeBron had the greatest game of his career in game 6 of the eastern conference finals in Boston. Facing elimination James put up 45 points and 15 rebounds and forced a game 7. The Heat would go on to win game seven and then the NBA title. The Celtics might have been the Heat’s toughest test along their 2012 championship run, but it was clear who the east belonged to going forward.
A year later the Celtics got bumped in the first round by Melo’s Knicks. In the following offseason Ray Allen joined up with LeBron and the Heat. Allen went on to hit one of the biggest shots in Finals history, helping Miami go back to back. LeBron was able to transform Allen from a sworn enemy to an essential ingredient in his championship legacy. The big three era in Boston had come to a close and the Heat had taken control of the NBA. Celtics GM Danny Ainge was focusing on making the most of it. In one of the biggest trades of this decade, the Celtics acquired three (yes three) unprotected future first round picks from the Nets for Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and change. Ainge knew there was no stopping James in the near future. He planned on pushing for the East late in LeBron’s career.
Here we are today, LeBron looking to get back to his eighth straight Finals knowing he has to worry about Boston again. The Nets picks have materialized as 19 year old forward Jayson Tatum, and 25 year old NBA superstar Kyrie Irving. Along with them Boston managed to add all-star forward Gordon Hayward to their roster this offseason. With one of the NBA’s best coaches in Brad Stevens, Boston is ready to take the east back. Ainge may have very well made the Irving trade not only for how it would strengthen his team going forward, but also for how it could weaken Cleveland. It probably wasn’t easy for him to part ways with All-star point guard Isaiah Thomas. Who’s offensive performance last season led the Celtics to the best record in the east. If Irving was on the market for another team, perhaps one in the west, who knows if the deal gets done.
Only time will tell if Ainge’s roster is actually capable of dethroning the King, but regardless of how this season goes, Boston is the team of the future in the eastern conference. LeBron won’t be able to stay silent next offseason if he wants to continue getting to the Finals. With the clock ticking on his career there are only a few more power moves left for James, and the Celtics aren’t something he can just Instagram dance his way through.