Draymond analyzes LeBron's Decision 4: Winning titles with Cavs or Heat wouldn't surpass past glory; gave up Warriors due to public opinion and grudges

On July 28, Beijing time, Draymond updated his podcast, discussing LeBron's choice to sign with the 76ers and his own reaction. He also analyzed why LeBron didn't choose the Cavaliers, Heat, or Warriors. The following is relevant content from Draymond's podcast —

LeBron officially signed with the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year, $8 million contract with a player option and a 15% trade kicker. Many people asked me what my first reaction was, whether I was surprised. Actually, I wasn't shocked. I know quite a few insiders who had heard that negotiations were ongoing, so it wasn't out of the blue. I just didn't know the exact timing of the announcement or how it would be made public.

I think the public opinion from fans back then left a psychological scar on LeBron. The biggest controversy caused by LeBron, Maverick, and Rich Paul's team was the "Decision" live broadcast. That live broadcast ultimately raised $4 million for charity, perhaps the actual amount was higher, but let's just say $4 million. Even though he did charity, he still faced overwhelming criticism. That was the biggest lesson.

It's easy to understand why LeBron was much more cautious this time. He just posted a short video on social media, with Philadelphia appearing at the end and a simple caption to announce his destination. Yesterday I talked about this with others; many fans were expecting a grand announcement ceremony, but instead got such a simple video, so they were inevitably disappointed. In short, the online backlash scared LeBron. He did a good deed back then but was criticized everywhere, so this time he chose a simple Instagram video announcement and that's it.

Rich Paul previously mentioned that this decision was like a roller coaster every day. The candidate teams included the Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Golden State Warriors, and each of these four teams once led the race. That's indeed the case; the situation kept swinging back and forth.

Many netizens complained that LeBron was deliberately stalling for attention. But I see it differently; he was actually very conflicted and couldn't make up his mind.

Let's analyze one by one: If he returned to Cleveland, even if he won another championship, the achievement couldn't surpass the 2016 one, and any misstep might actually ruin his legacy; if he went to Miami to win, it would be hard to replicate the peak stories of 2012 and 2013. These two teams, therefore, were gradually eliminated.

Now let's talk about the Warriors.Ultimately, LeBron could never get past the hurdle of public opinion and historical grudges. The problem isn't the Warriors team or the management, but the overwhelming public opinion from outside. The online environment is like this nowadays; there are always people trying to find fault. Once LeBron joined the Warriors, everyone would seize on that to attack his legacy.People would keep saying: He went to team up with Curry.

A large number of media and fans are constantly looking for material to try to destroy a star's legendary resume. This environment is really bad. If LeBron chose the Warriors, this would definitely be blown out of proportion. Even Barkley commented: See, he's just chasing a championship. But the Philadelphia 76ers haven't won a title in 60 years. If he simply wanted to ride coattails for a ring, he wouldn't choose a team that has been long without a championship; he needs to personally lead this team out of its slump.

In summary, this endless public criticism was the core reason LeBron ultimately gave up on the Warriors.