Miami Heat: 25 Best Players To Play For The Heat

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May 30, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) controls the ball against the Indiana Pacers during the first half in game six of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

player. 110. <strong>How acquired:</strong> Sign-and-trade, Cleveland Cavaliers, July 10, 2010.. PF-SF. 2010-14. LeBron James. 1

It was The Decision heard ‘round the nation, at the very least, when LeBron James infamously announced on a nationally televised special that he would be “taking his talents to South Beach” in July 2010 to sign with the Miami Heat.

In what turned out to be a sign-and-trade deal, the Heat got James from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for second-round picks in 2011 and 2012, a first-round selection in 2013, a future first-rounder and a trade exception.

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All Miami did upon James’ arrival was reach four straight NBA Finals, winning two titles. Along the way, he was named MVP in 2011-12 and 2012-13, was a four-time All-Star, a four-time All-NBA selection and a four-time All-Defensive pick.

James was second in the MVP voting in 2013-14 and third in 2010-11.

In the 2011 NBA Finals, he averaged 17.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.7 steals in 43.6 minutes per game, shooting .478/.321/.600 in a six-game loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

He was the MVP of the 2012 Finals, averaging 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 1.6 steals in 44.1 minutes per game on .472/3-for-16/.826 shooting in a five-game win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

James repeated as Finals MVP in 2013, averaging 25.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, seven assists and 2.3 steals in 43 minutes per game, shooting .447/.353/.795 in a seven-game triumph over the San Antonio Spurs.

In 2014, he averaged 28.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, four assists and two steals in 37.8 minutes per game on .571/.519/.793 shooting as the Spurs beat the Heat in five games.

James opted out of his contract and returned to the Cavaliers as a free agent in July 2014.

In four seasons in Miami, James averaged 26.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.7 steals in 38 minutes per game, shooting .543/.369/.758.

James was the first overall pick out of Saint Vincent-Saint Mary High School in Akron, Ohio, by the Cavaliers in the 2003 NBA Draft and was the Rookie of the Year in 2003-04 as well as NBA MVP in 2008-09 and 2009-10.

He is also a seven-time All-Star in Cleveland, with seven All-NBA nods and two All-Defensive selections, leading the NBA in scoring in 2007-08 and in minutes per game in 2004-05.

James averaged 25.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.4 steals in 35.6 minutes per game in 2015-16 on .520/.309/.731 shooting and delivered on the promise made when he returned to Cleveland, leading the Cavaliers to their first NBA title.

He opted out of the final year of his contract to re-enter free agency, signing a new three-year, $100 million deal with Cleveland on Aug. 12, 2016, that includes a player option for the final season in 2018-19.

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James is 39th in NBA history with 38,478 minutes, 30th with 1,343 three-pointers, 18th with 6,815 assists, 24th with 1,657 steals, 11th with 26,833 points, seventh with an average of 39.0 minutes per game, fifth with an average of 27.2 points per game, 28th with an average of 6.9 assists per game and 48th with an average of 1.7 steals per game.

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