2043
by rusty2
As tensions mount, the distance between LeBron James and the Cavaliers is growing
Jason Lloyd 2 hours ago
Inch by inch, the gap between LeBron James and the Cavaliers is widening. As the losses mount and the team’s uninspired efforts persist, July 1 and the start of free agency hangs over this franchise as a day of reckoning.
How did we get here? How did James’ storybook return to Cleveland spoil so quickly? Less than four years ago, James was proclaiming “I’m back!” to a packed football stadium on the University of Akron’s campus as fireworks illuminated the night sky. Now this union is in danger of collapsing again.
The root of the problems can be traced back to two key issues: David Griffin’s removal as general manager and Kyrie Irving’s subsequent trade to the Boston Celtics.
For the past seven months, the Cavs have been noticeably pivoting away from James’ recommendations. He was vocal both publicly and privately in wanting Griffin to return as GM. Instead, owner Dan Gilbert replaced him days before the draft with Koby Altman, the inexperienced 35-year-old who is widely regarded as not ready for the mammoth task in front of him.
James recruited Jamal Crawford last summer to come to Cleveland, but instead they ignored him and signed rookie Cedi Osman. James told the Cavs not to trade Irving regardless of how disgruntled he appeared. Irving was under team control for two more years, and James was adamant he had no leverage.
“Bring him to camp,” James told the Cavs. He was confident he could repair whatever damage Irving felt was done to their relationship. But Irving made clear to Gilbert and the Cavaliers he wanted out of Cleveland because he did not want to play another minute with James, one source told The Athletic. Given how close Irving and James were to the ends of their contracts, the Cavs chose to move Irving while they believed he still had peak value.
Gilbert and Altman traded Irving to the Celtics for a package headlined by Isaiah Thomas and Brooklyn’s unprotected pick. While no one knows yet what that pick will render, to this point, the trade has been a disaster for Cleveland and triggered a number of the other issues this team is dealing with today.
The deal was also completed without consulting James, one source with knowledge of the situation told The Athletic. Altman called James when it was essentially done and informed him of what was happening.
“It’s the best we can do,” Altman told James. Twenty minutes later, the trade was leaked publicly, one source with knowledge of the situation told The Athletic. It had been negotiated entirely without James’ knowledge.
About the only move this year the Cavs made to acquiesce their franchise player was bringing on Dwyane Wade, but even that was met with resistance. James acknowledged to The Athletic in November it was a short list of people who wanted Wade in Cleveland.
“There was a couple guys with it,” James said. “But it wasn’t a lot.”
The pivot away from James’ wishes has been noticeable, particularly since this is a franchise that since losing him in 2010 has been willing to do — and spend — whatever was necessary to get him back and keep him happy.
James and Gilbert have no relationship. Neither do James and Altman, multiple sources with knowledge of the situation told The Athletic. Whereas Griffin would consult with James and keep him informed of major roster decisions, that is no longer happening. James doesn’t trust this front office, and there is no communication now between management and star player. It perhaps played a role in James yelling and cursing at multiple front office executives during the now-famous team meeting a couple of weeks ago that began with players questioning Kevin Love’s absence from a recent practice.
Multiple sources confirmed James cursed toward at least two team executives during the heated meeting. When asked about the exchange, James told The Athletic he couldn’t remember everything that was said.
Just days before that meeting, the Cavs surrendered 148 points in a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. After the game, James gave a curious response when asked about Tyronn Lue’s future as head coach.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen with our team,” James said. “I have no idea what conversations have been going on.”
While it was viewed publicly as flimsy support of Lue, it was his truth. James indeed believes he isn’t aware of what is happening anymore within the franchise because of the lack of communication.
The Cavs privately counter that two of James’ closest associates, Randy Mims and Brandon Weems, are on the Cavs’ staff and spend a considerable amount of time with Altman. Therefore, James should be fully aware of the team’s proceedings.
This isn’t all on Altman. He was placed into an untenable position by Gilbert. By all accounts, Altman is extremely bright and well-spoken. One of his best attributes, according to those who know him well, is his ability to communicate and develop strong relationships. Yet, that’s precisely what is now lacking after he was thrust into this position with powerful figures such as James and Gilbert on opposite sides. Even Lue acknowledged Monday that with the trade deadline approaching, there hasn’t been a lot of communication between himself and the front office.
“Haven’t had a lot of interaction,” Lue said. “So, whatever.”
Six years ago, Altman was an assistant coach in the Ivy League. Now he has vaulted from third chair in the Cavs’ front office last season to the man in charge. While the Cavs insist Altman’s duties are no different from Griffin’s job before him, up and down the roster and throughout the organization, the belief is unanimous that Altman is the front man and Gilbert is in full control.
Gilbert’s handling of Griffin’s contract angered a number of team employees. After removing the championship bonuses, Griffin was one of the five lowest-paid general managers in the NBA, one source told The Athletic. Gilbert’s refusal to extend Griffin’s contract immediately after the championship season, when he still had a year left on his deal, upset a number of people within the franchise, multiple sources told The Athletic.
Even after Griffin’s removal, Gilbert could’ve brought in a more experienced GM. Instead, he continued the tradition of promoting from within while siphoning away more and more of their power. While every owner always has final say in every organization, Danny Ferry had the most control over decisions of any Cavs GM during Gilbert’s ownership, multiple sources told The Athletic.
Gilbert peeled some of that power away from Chris Grant and did the same with Griffin. Now the front office is constructed of inexperienced 30-somethings. And yet there is another pattern developing with Gilbert and general managers: while none has received a second contract, each GM has also received less time in charge. Ferry was on the job for five years, and Grant was fired after less than four. Griffin was gone after three years.
Looming over all of this is the trade deadline Thursday. Barring something unexpected in these final days, there is nothing out there to fix this team now. They are saddled with a roster of bad contracts nobody wants and a valuable Brooklyn pick with no one worthy of spending it on. Nor are they inclined to trade it, anyway, particularly to patch an aging team that is showing little sign of a potential turnaround.
Remove the stretch when the Cavs won 18 of 19 games and their winning percentage for the rest of this season is .375 — just a tick above the pitiful Nets. They enter Tuesday night at Orlando just two games ahead of sixth-seeded Indiana. They are five games away from being outside the playoff picture entirely. Yet, Lue said Monday he isn’t concerned the Cavaliers could miss the playoffs this year.
“We’re still going to make the playoffs. There’s no doubt about that,” Lue said. “We’re still confident in that for sure.”
The Cavs are running out of time to make drastic changes to this roster and have limited resources to do it. Yet to this point, there has been no discussion about obtaining the nuclear codes and trading James. No one with the Cavs has approached him or his agent, Rich Paul, about waiving his no-trade clause. Nor has James gone to the team and requested a trade, one source with knowledge of the situation told The Athletic.
Gilbert has spent an incredible amount in salary and taxes since James returned — more than any owner in the league. It netted the city its first championship in 52 years. But as this franchise continues to stumble toward April and an unknown fate beyond, there is an overwhelming sense that the end could be near.
Team officials believed in July 2014 that James returned to finish his career here. No one is really talking that way anymore. Gilbert wanted an insurance policy in case James bolted, so he traded Irving for a valuable draft pick to begin a rebuild in the event James does depart again this summer. Gilbert said for years after James left in 2010 that he’ll never again let a player hold his organization hostage, and if he had it to do over again, he would’ve traded James with a year left on his contract.
James’ no-trade clause prevents that from happening again this time. But the Brooklyn pick is his insurance policy he didn’t have in 2010.
The Irving deal to Boston altered the course of this franchise. At this point, the Cavs have little to show for it. In a few months, they could have even less to show for James.