If Malone would have won a title in LA, would you give him the same respect for that championship as if he had won it in Utah?
Absolutely! Malone DESERVED to win an NBA title! His career was that great! The fact that he didn't get one with the Jazz and Stockton was tragic....but part of NBA life. He didn't get one with the Lakers. Why? He got hurt and the Lakers didn't have enough sticks to win it all that year! But had they won, no one would have been more deserving on that team than Malone!
As for what city they went to... who cares? They made a deal to get together so they could dominate the league... regardless of where they went, it's still the same thing.
...they went to Miami because they had sufficient cap space, the best city and no state income tax.
As for your assumptions that Jordan would have left just like Lebron? Are you kidding me? Lebron just left the best NBA team (record wise) for 2 straight years. Your seriously telling me that you think Jordan would have left the Bulls after having the best record for 2 straight years all because he wanted to cement his opportunity to win with Magic / Bird?
.....Lebron saw the handwriting on the wall.....so would have Jordan. The Cav's didn't have anymore cap space to improve the team next year.....and perhaps not for a few more years. So he played out his contract and moved on. He didn't force them to renegotiate....he just played out his contract and moved on. Jordan quit after winning 6 rings. Why? He also saw the handwriting on the wall. The Bull's were not in a position to improve the team and guys were getting older. He could have played another year with them. But would he have won? I doubt it.
The simple fact is that D-Wade talked his buddies, Bosh / James, into coming to Miami so that Wade could once again be on a championship team. Bosh had nothing going for him on his part, so of course he jumped on the bandwagon. James... well, he either desperately wanted out of Cleveland or he panicked (got scared he could never win on his own) and left.
....Lebron wanted Wade and Bosh to come to Cleveland. But Wade knew Miami was the better town, city and management and had the cap space to improve the team. You don't honestly think Bosh was going to finally get a chance to leave Toronto....and then move to the pathetic city/area of Cleveland, do you? So they all decided on Miami.
Atleast Wade can use this event to get himself an NBA GM job after he retires...
...you might be more right than you think, on that one!