No sour exit this time for LeBron

Cavs owner thanks James, promises to retire his jersey.

Cavaliers owner

CLEVELAND — Dan Gilbert didn’t trash LeBron James on his way out of town this time. Instead, he promised to retire his jersey.

Eight years after he famously criticized James for leaving as a free agent in a letter, Gilbert thanked the superstar for coming back to Cleveland and ending the city’s half-century championship drought. James announced on Sunday night that he’s agreed to join the Los Angeles Lakers for a four-year, $153.3 million contract, a decision that dredged up bad memories for some Cavs fans.

Although James is leaving Cleveland again, Gilbert used the occasion to wish James well, opening his statement by recalling the night in 2016 when James led the Cavs to a Game 7 win in the NBA Finals over Golden State. That victory gave Cleveland its first professional sports title since 1964.

“A championship that united generations of Clevelanders, both living and passed,” Gilbert said. “Virtually anyone with roots in Northeast Ohio paused and felt the memories of the past and the utter joy that the burden of the so-called ‘curse’ was finally a thing of the past. Cleveland, Ohio, was the home of a championship team for the first time since 1964. Words do not express

the meaning and the feeling this accomplishment brought to the people of Northeast Ohio.”

Gilbert, whose relationship with James improved after the Cavs’ title but was always a source of speculation, went on to credit the four-time MVP for delivering on his promise to make Cleveland a championship city. It was a striking change in Gilbert, who had written his letter in comic sans font and had called James the “so-called King.” The same night of his letter, Gilbert told The Associated Press he felt James had quit during the 2010 postseason.

“None of this would have happened if LeBron James did not agree to come back home and lead the Cavaliers to the promised land,” Gilbert said. “The entire Cavaliers franchise thanks LeBron for that precious moment and for all of the excitement he delivered as he led our team to four straight NBA Finals appearances.”

Gilbert said James’ jersey will one day hang from the rafters in Quicken Loans Arena.

LeBron banner coming down: The massive LeBron James banner hanging in downtown Cleveland is being removed again later this week following the superstar’s announcement he’s leaving. The 10-story billboard, which shows James wearing his No. 23 jersey with his arms spread wide, has become a city landmark. It was also removed in 2010 when he decided to join the Heat.

L.A. rejoices: With their new superstar — L.A.-Bron — the Lakers hope to try and dethrone the Golden State Warriors and help James grow his own legacy.

Unlike his two previous forays in free agency, James did not drag out his decision and made the announcement less than 24 hours after NBA free agency opened. This Summer of LeBron was barely a fling.

His management agency, Klutch Sports Group, announced his agreement with the Lakers with a simple, short release Sunday night. It was a stark contrast from eight years ago, when a poorly conceived TV special to announce his departure from Cleveland backfired and damaged James’ image.

The game’s biggest star will now lead a young Lakers team — run by Lakers Hall of Famer Magic Johnson — that has been overmatched in recent years while rebuilding. But the Lakers will instantly rise with James, a three-time champion who after being swept by the Warriors in this year’s NBA Finals said he is still driven and very much in “championship mode.”

James wasn’t planning to have any face-to-face meetings, but Saturday night he reportedly met with Johnson, who sold him on his vision for the Lakers.

The Lakers’ rich legacy is something that has always appealed to James, and it wasn’t long after his announcement that he heard from Kobe Bryant, who won five titles during 20 seasons with Los Angeles. “Welcome to the family @KingJames,” Bryant said on Twitter. “#lakers4life #striveforgreatness.”

James and Bryant were Olympic teammates and there has been a perceived rivalry between the pair of alpha males. They’re now linked like never before and if James wants to prepare for his eventual life after basketball, who better to learn from than Johnson, who has made a fortune as a business entrepreneur, or Bryant, an Academy Award winner. The massive Los Angeles market will also provide James with a grander platform for his philanthropy and social activism. He already owns two homes in Southern California and has a film production company.

James gave Cleveland something to remember in his final season. He played in all 82 regular-season games and then somehow carried a team that underwent several transformations to a fourth straight conference title and matchup against the Warriors. As has been the case in the past, James didn’t have enough help as the Cavs were swept, dropping him to 3-6 in the Finals.