MIAMI -- LeBron James said he was shocked upon learning Boston Celtics stars Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry were traded to Brooklyn in the offseason.
Not because of basketball but because of what James perceived to be some hypocrisy.
"The first thing that I thought was like, 'Wow, Ray (Allen) got killed for leaving Boston and now these guys are leaving Boston,' " James told reporters in Brooklyn on Wednesday. "I think it’s OK. I don't mind it, but there was a couple guys that basically (criticized) Ray for leaving and everybody else is leaving."
When Allen turned down more money from Boston to sign as a free agent with the Miami Heat before last season, several former teammates criticized the shooter for bolting. Garnett said he deleted Allen's phone number from his phone, and Terry took a shot at Allen by crediting Pierce for "his willingness to stick through the tough times, and not jump off."
Terry and Pierce were traded to Brooklyn, so they really had no choice. Garnett, however, waived his no-trade clause to be part of the deal with the Nets.
Garnett previously had said he never would leave Boston. That, however, was before the Celtics sent coach Doc Rivers to the Los Angeles Clippers.
"We all know how it works," Miami's Dwyane Wade said. "People say things about people when they decide to do something but then people do the same thing. It's about putting yourself in the best situation. It's about doing what’s best for your family."
James, Wade and the Heat were in Brooklyn to play the Nets in a preseason game on Thursday night.
Charlie McCarthy can be reached at mac1763@bellsouth.net or on Twitter @mccarthy_chas.
