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Cleveland Cavaliers: Why does there have to be just one GOAT?

By Duane Rohrbacher

Apr 23, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) dunks against the Boston Celtics during the second half in game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. The Cavaliers defeated the Celtics 103-95. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 23, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) dunks against the Boston Celtics during the second half in game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. The Cavaliers defeated the Celtics 103-95. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /
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It’s time to change the GOAT conversation.

This article is not about anointing LeBron James as the greatest of all-time. While there is a strong argument that LeBron is the GOAT, there is no point in arguing anymore. We can talk all day about rings, total numbers, averages, teammates, and opponents, but the trouble is, the game has changed way too much to continue the argument.

This doesn’t just apply to basketball either. Could Ted Williams hit a Randy Johnson fastball? Could Babe Ruth hit a Pedro Martinez curve ball? Do you think peak Mohammed Ali could beat peak Mike Tyson? How well do you think Wilt Chamberlain would manage against Shaquille O’Neal or Tim Duncan?

Here’s the thing: these athletes are amazing in their own rights. Just because Usain Bolt’s 9.81 2016 100m run would destroy the 1900 10.8 100m run, does not make that Olympic feat any less. Humans evolve. Our athletes go from training in high school to starting at 5 years old. The modern human has grown over 4 inches in the last 100 years! It’s not even an equal comparison.

GOAT-ERA

If we try to anoint one greatest of all time, we are not accounting for rule changes, game evolution, and how and what we track. Michael Jordan’s trainers and coaches did not have the same access to information that LeBron’s do. Jordan’s front office couldn’t pair him with the perfect teammates based on advanced analytics. Conversely, LeBron does not NEED to do as much as Jordan because he has more information.

Similar to how a computer in 1998 would be laughable in 2017 in terms of performance, there is just no reason to compare different eras of players. It’s fun to do what they did in Rocky and simulate a LeBron/Jordan matchup of teams. It’s an awesome exercise for ESPN to talk about 37 times a year. But, in reality, there is just no reason we need to compare Jordan and James or talk about GOATs in general.

Jordan was the greatest player of his era. Chamberlain was the greatest player of his era. One could argue by the end of James’s career that he will be the greatest player of his era. If we leave our conversations to GOAT-ERA instead of GOAT, then it will be more fun to have the conversations about contemporaries.

To end on a LeBron-fandom note, though, find me a player of any era who could have taken the 2007 Cleveland Cavaliers, probably the worst team of all-time to make it to the Finals, to the Finals, and I will give you the GOAT title for that person.

Related Story: Are the Cavs, Warriors appreciated enough?

Do you think there needs to be a change to the GOAT conversation? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section or Twitter @KJG_NBA.