Multiple Cavs acknowledge growing discontent, concern about current state of team CLEVELAND -- Following the Cleveland Cavaliers' 118-108 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Monday, multiple players acknowledged growing discontent and a strong sense of concern that unlike past seasons, the team does not have the capability to fix the problems that ail their current team to get back on a championship track. Several prominent players, speaking on a condition of anonymity to ESPN, Cleveland.com and The Athletic, expressed doubt that the problems -- an aging roster, defensively-challenged personnel and a glut of redundant role players -- could simply be worked out through patience and a chance to coalesce when fully healthy. With the trade deadline looming Feb. 8, the Cavaliers do have some options, including their own 2018 first-round pick, which could fetch interest on the trade market. In addition, they also have Brooklyn's unprotected first-round pick in this year's draft, acquired in the Kyrie Irving deal. However, several league sources told ESPN that the Cavs prefer to hold onto the pick as a potential franchise-resetting asset should LeBron James leave as a free agent in July. Cavaliers players wondering if their problems are fixable CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There is growing discontent and concern in the Cavaliers' locker room that the root problems of their prolonged slump are not fixable. The Cavs were beaten by the Golden State Warriors, 118-108, on Monday for their fourth consecutive loss. They've won just three games out of the last 12 and are four-tenths of a percentage point from being the NBA's worst defensive-team. Multiple marquee Cleveland players spoke without attribution to cleveland.com, ESPN, and The Athletic after the loss to the Warriors, and league sources separately spoke to cleveland.com to describe a sullen and dour atmosphere on a team that a few short weeks ago was toasting in Napa, Calif. "Rotations are awful. IT (Isaiah Thomas) is so much worse than Kyrie defensively it's insane," said a league source. "There is not a great feeling anywhere. They need to limp into the All-Star break and get away from each other." Concerns range from a roster (the league's oldest) that appears ill fit to match up in a seven-game series with the mighty Warriors, who have beaten the Cavs in two of the last three Finals, in seven of the last eight games overall, and are again the NBA's best team at 36-9. There are questions as to whether the pieces put in place by owner Dan Gilbert's new front office team, headed by general manager Koby Altman, fit together -- regardless of opponent -- and whether the Cavs will make a trade by the Feb. 8 deadline. (A league source countered that the team would certainly "try" to make a move.) Gilbert and Altman are reluctant to move the [Brooklyn] pick, according to national reports and team sources. Meanwhile, the Celtics lead third-place Cleveland by 7.5 games in the East. LeBron James said last week he loves this team's "potential," and coach Tyronn Lue said before Monday's game that he felt this team would at some point be the best team in the East. ... In the meantime, Thomas continues to struggle to shoot as he works his way back from seven months off due to hip injuries. Thomas was 8-of-21 shooting against the Warriors and finished with 19 points. Thomas again mentioned the Cavs "don't practice" -- an apparent shot at the organization considering the number of times he's mentioned it over the past several days. He's continually cited a lack of practice as the reason he's playing his way into shape. ... Communication between the front office and players and coaches is different -- not as frequent -- as it was when former general manager David Griffin was here, multiple team sources have said. Last week, after consecutive blowout losses to Minnesota and Toronto by a combined 62 points, cleveland.com reported that players were grumbling over James' holding onto the ball too long, and over Lue's lineups and player rotations. "Like our effort tonight," James said after Monday's game. He scored 32 points with eight rebounds and six assists against the Warriors. "If we continue on that, going into our next few games, then I like where we are."
They still beat Boston in the playoffs and come out of the East. They were never beating a healthy Warriors in the Finals, so really there's no change to the finish line for the Cavs pre/post discontent.
They won't trade the nets pick and looks like Lue is on his way out maybe. That's two coaches Lebron got fired
LeBron clearly needs help and the team needs some new talent, but the Cavs can't go get that talent because they don't want to give up the Brooklyn pick since LeBron won't commit to the future. It's a complete waste of a season for them. Even if they figure it out, there is no way they take down whatever team wins the West.
They got their one chip - honestly anything beyond this is just unrealistic for the Cavs. If I was Dan Gilbert, I keep that draft pick, hope that you can nab Ayton, Bagley, Young, or Doncic and REBUILD. Let Lebron go wherever he wants, because the LBJ Era is officially over.
Sorry but Warriors in 6 against the team you just listed is not crazy. I don't know if people actually understand how f***ing good the Warriors are. They are literally built perfectly for the modern NBA, and are stacked with 4 all-NBA players, two of whom are top 5 in the league and perennial MVP candidates. Their bench is 12 deep, and they have no weaknesses. You can't just put a bunch of aging talent on a team and expect to beat them in a 7 game series.
Get their $&@& out your mouth bro....First lebron beat them 2 years ago with kyrie and love. Then they got KD and beat Cavs...second harden better than anybody on GS other than KD....lebron on this team is ridiculous in it self with the shooters we have then cp3 mixed in...we can beat them now if everybody plays how they can play.
Lol, no point to argue this unrealistic hypothetical scenario. There is literally no objective way to actually support my or your argument. We will just have to agree to disagree.
