NBA teams
Michael Wallace, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Stern: LeBron's homecoming 'great'

NBA, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Charlotte Hornets

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Former NBA commissioner David Stern is far more pleased with how LeBron James handled his decision to relocate this time around.

Four years after saying James' televised decision to announce he was leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat in free agency was "ill-conceived, badly produced and poorly executed," Stern suggested Wednesday that James handled his return to the Cavaliers in better fashion.

"He seems to have made this from the bottom of his heart," Stern said. "I couldn't be happier."

Stern, who retired last February and was replaced by Adam Silver, was in Charlotte for the official rebranding of the franchise as the Hornets after spending the past 10 seasons as the Bobcats. Stern served as commissioner four years ago during James' controversial departure from Cleveland.

In 2010, James partnered with ESPN to produce "The Decision" to inform the Cavaliers and other suitors that he was "taking my talents to South Beach" to join Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade in Miami. After winning two championships and advancing to four NBA Finals with the Heat, James re-entered free agency last summer and announced in a Sports Illustrated essay in July he was returning to Cleveland.

James, an Akron, Ohio native and four-time league MVP, spent his first seven seasons with the Cavaliers. He is set to play his season opener in Cleveland on Thursday against New York.

James was heavily criticized by fans and former star players for the move - and the way he made it - four years ago. He Cavaliers reunion was viewed more favorably among many. Stern reiterated Wednesday that he had no problem with James deciding to play in Miami, but was disappointed that he didn't let the Cavaliers know of his plans in a more private and professional manner.

Asked about James' move back to Cleveland on Wednesday, Stern said: "I think it's great."

"We all know The Decision. My words at the time were ... the show was poorly conceived, poorly produced or something," Stern said. "But then I thought that LeBron didn't deserve everything that people heaped on him. I thought he was a young man making a decision he was entitled to make, and that it was difficult. And I told him that on more than one occasion."

Stern said he's told James repeated over the past four years during Miami's trophy presentations or championship ring ceremonies that he understood how difficult the process must have been for James.

Having settled into retirement after a 30-year run as commissioner, Stern also addressed several other league issues during Wednesday's media gathering.

Stern said he believed Silver handled the Donald Sterling racial controversy "perfectly" last season and was pleased with the $2 billion sale of the Los Angeles Clippers to Microsoft executive Steve Ballmer.

In light of the Hornets reclaiming their original nickname during Charlotte's first NBA run from 1988 through 2002 before they moved to New Orleans, Stern said he believes the era of franchise relocation in the league is over.

"Franchise relocation is always something we worked hard not to have," Stern said. "We worked extraordinarily hard in Sacramento when everyone said (relocation) was all but a done deal. We've also worked hard in Charlotte and other cities. But given the evolution of our building situations, I think that will contribute to the likelihood that there won't be any franchise relocations."

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