Cleveland Cavaliers chairman Dan Gilbert has seen years of immense success for his team, and also immense despair. A lot of Cleveland’s success over the past decade-plus has revolved around forward LeBron James and Gilbert knows this.
Now that James has departed the Cavs franchise for a second time in his fifteen-year career, Gilbert also penned a second farewell letter. As opposed to his first letter which oozed anger and pettiness, this one was much more sincere, thanking James for his delivery of a championship for the city of Cleveland.
“We will always remember the evening of June 19, 2016 as the Cleveland Cavaliers, led by LeBron James, ended the 52-year drought delivering the long elusive championship that many thought they would never see… A championship that united generations of Clevelanders, both living and passed,” Gilbert wrote.
“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 continued on with his appreciation for LeBron James throughout the heartfelt letter. Gilbert concluded his letter with stating that he looks forward to the day LeBron’s number 23 is retired from ever being worn again in Cleveland, “LeBron, you came home and delivered the ultimate goal. Nothing but appreciation and gratitude for everything you put into every moment you spent in a Cavaliers uniform. We look forward to the retirement of the famous #23 Cavs jersey one day down the line.”
Now with James committed to the Los Angeles Lakers for at least the next three seasons, the Cavs will have to figure out their own route back to relevancy.
It could be a long, arduous road back to success for the Cavs and it remains to be seen how they manage what is expected to be a handful of down years after four consecutive finals appearances.
