There are alot of heart-broken fans, angry fans and I-told-you-so fans.

LeBron James announced his plans Thursday night to join Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh and the Miami Heat.

Several published reports stated James had been “leaning” towards signing with the Heat. Now it’s etched in stone. James will join the Heat and form one of the best trios in the last 40 years.Few teams in NBA history can match this type of star power.

The 1971-72 Lakers with Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain, the Celtics of the 1980s with Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish, the 1980s Lakers’ teams with Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy and the current version of the Celtics with Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen come to mind.

So how tough of a decision could it have been for James? Contrary to what some may believe, this had to be an agonizing choice for James. He grew up in Cleveland, played the McDonald’s All-American game in Cleveland and put the Cavaliers back on the map when he was selected with the first overall pick in 2003. As much as we all like to say this is still a business, most athletes dream of leading their hometown team to a championship. James nearly lived the dream when he led the Cavaliers to the NBA Final in 2007.

Now it’s time for James to do what he thinks is best for himself.

It’s also time for him to live up to the hype. No more excuses for the “King”.

With Wade and Bosh along side him, anything short of at least one NBA title over the next two years would be unacceptable to some.

Does this change the balance of power in the NBA? Yes and no.

No matter how you slice it, the Miami Heat have now become the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. Sure, they only have two other players in Mario Chalmers and Michael Beasley under contract. But the combination of James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh should be enough to compensate for any shortcomings.

This doesn’t mean anyone should anoint the Heat as Kings of the league just yet. The Lakers, fresh off their second title in three years, still have the best player in the game in Kobe Bryant. One of the best big men in the game in Pau Gasol and a tremendous set of role players.

You can’t count out the Orlando Magic, who have a strong, young nucleus led by Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson and Rashard Lewis. The acquisition of Chris Duhon could allow the Magic to play Nelson off the ball and possibly play a three-guard rotation with Duhon, Nelson and Vince Carter.

The Celtics, provided they are healthy, will offer strong resistance. The acquisition of Jermaine O’Neal, who replaces the retired Rasheed Wallace, along with the re-signing of Pierce and Allen will keep the Celtics in the championship mix.

The Bulls will also make some noise. Jerry Reinsdorf opened his checkbook with the signing of Carlos Boozer. Boozer’s presence, couple with Joakim Noah, Derek Rose and Luol Deng will make the Bulls a contender.

So who lost out?

As for our hometown Knicks, James said it was all about winning. “It ultimately came down to where I could win the most,” he said to ESPN’s Mike Wilbon.

The Knicks had a lot to offer with the acquistion of Amare Stoudemire, cap space to acquire at least one more max salary player and the whole New York City appeal. But even with James, the Knicks wouldn’t have been an immediate favorite.

The Bulls might have been the best fit. With Boozer, Noah, Rose and Deng, adding James to the mix would’ve made Chicago a heavy favorite. The Cavaliers had a lot to offer, too. The comforts of home, a team that led the league in wins the last two seasons and enough cap flexibility to make some big roster moves.

Ultimately, James’ decision came down to winning. Signing with the Heat will give James an immediate shot at a championship and a chance to win several more.

His legacy? He’ll get some criticism for signing with what is seemingly a ready-made championship-caliber team instead of trying to build one from the ground up. If he wins multiple titles with Miami, these past few weeks will be forgotten. If he fails to win a title, look out. The fans and media can be a very unforgiving lot.