“LeBron James tried to get Erik Spoelstra fired in Miami”: Heat co-owner reveals dark truth surrounding the King’s tenure in South Beach
We all know about LeBron James’ knack for turning into a GM on teams (LeGM anyone?), but there may be a dark side to this story from when he was in Miami.
LeBron likes to take things into his own hands often, and it makes sense. Whichever team he joins, he’s going to unquestionably be the best player, and thus, the team has to be built around him.
His preferences always rank first, and that means that coaches and GMs will take his opinion into account when looking at personnel moves and organizational changes. There’s a reason the LeGM nickname exists after all.
Here is LeGM discussing how he was able to snag Malik Monk in the off-season.
Behind the scenes, LeGM, with his assistants Rob Pelinka and Kurt Rambis, worked tirelessly to bring him here. Now, the results are finally paying off. pic.twitter.com/dyd7Gicywp
— Letting Go (@ProvideContext) January 5, 2022
However, LeBron may have been looking to make more than just personnel moves at times.
LeBron James may have been looking to get Erik Spoelstra fired
When LeBron made his famous “decision” in 2010 and joined the Miami Heat, he was met with a lot of backlash. People claimed he broke the league by pairing up with superstars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, and everyone thought he was taking the easy way out.
Eventually people got used to the sight of him in the Miami red and black, and the Heat became the villains of the league. However, all wasn’t well for the Heat right away. They lost to the Dirk Nowitzki led Mavericks in the Finals in their first year together.
During that first year, the Heat didn’t come out guns-blazing. They started slow, limping their way to a 9-8 record. During this initial period of frustration, Heat minority owner Raanan Katz claimed that LeBron tried to get head coach Erik Spoelstra fired.
A Heat co-owner says LeBron James tried to get Erik Spoelstra fired in Miami. https://t.co/gI2fyoAzJd pic.twitter.com/jONoq458to
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) January 26, 2016
The story originally surfaced after the Cleveland Cavaliers unexpectedly fired head coach David Blatt in the 2015-16 season, seemingly at LeBron’s will to which Katz replied, saying LeBron tried to do the same with Spoelstra.
Miami Heat part-owner Raanan Katz said LeBron had Blatt fired. In same breath: “He tried the same with Spo, but failed.”
— David Pick (@IAmDPick) January 26, 2016
How accurate are these claims? We have no idea really. LeBron has defiantly rejected any claims of this story being true, claiming that he didn’t even know who Katz was.
“I’ve never met that guy,” LeBron told reporters in 2016. “I don’t even know if a lot of guys that actually played ever met him. I was there for four years, and I never met him. I think my relationship with Spo had nothing to do with that. At the end of day, I don’t even think…the fact that I never met him, I don’t think he was involved in any of the conversations that goes on with the personnel of the team or the coaching staff or anything.”
