The Boston Celtics were the first to have a "Big 3". Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen combined to create a deadly trio and earn the Celtics another championship ring. However, when Allen broke up the Big 3, he received plenty of backlash from its remaining members. Garnett claimed to have lost his number while Pierce said he would never forgive Allen. LeBron James thinks they are a bunch of hypocrites now.
Pierce and Garnett jumped the Celtics ship for Brooklyn, officially dismantling the Boston championship roster of years ago. However, the trade went down with very little repercussions, unlike when Allen made his exit. James believes some people owe a few apologies because of it.
"I think the first thing I thought was 'wow, Ray got killed for leaving Boston and now these guys are leaving Boston,'" James said, via ESPN.com. "I think it's OK, I didn't mind it. But there were a couple guys who basically (expletive) on Ray for leaving and now they're leaving. That's the nature of our business, man. I don't know what Boston was going through at the end of the day. I know Ray had to make the best decision for him and his family and his career. Doc, KG and Paul did that as well. You can't criticize someone who does something that's best for their family."
James has always had a heated rivalry with Garnett and Pierce, so while he is sticking up for his teammate, he is also taking a few cheap shots at the same time. James understands what Allen went through, having left the Cavaliers in 2010 while still getting ridiculed for the decision three years later. Now that James has two of his biggest rivals back on the same team, he is looking forward to a new rivalry with Brooklyn.
"They have champions on their team, they have gold medalists on their team, they have guys who have been through a lot," James said. "It should be fun playing against them throughout the regular season and possibly in the playoffs."
Wade took a more P.Q. stance when it comes to Garnett and Pierce. He simply wants the two players to be happy along with Allen being happy. Getting ready to make a possibly move himself, Wade understands that every player most do what is right for them in the moment.
"We all know the world, how it works. The biggest thing is Ray is happy (in Miami). If they're happy in Brooklyn then let them be happy," Wade said. "People say things about people when they do something when they themselves would do the same thing. It's about putting yourself in the best situation and at the end of the day we all do that. You can't really say anything about someone that does it for themselves."
