LeBron's finger pointing at management rings hollow this time because LeBron IS the management. He's the guy who wanted all these young assets moved for Kevin Love. There is no doubt in my mind that LeBron has the final say over every decision, including the decision as to whether to fire David Blatt. Total control is what LeBron wanted-- just like total control is what SVG and Doc Rivers wanted-- so if the team doesn't work it's up to LeBron to fix it.
Absolutely. As I said/joked yesterday, he is team owner, GM, Coach & star player. If he wants Blatt fired, then just fire him. Spoiler <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>This <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes">@ChrisBHaynes</a> piece confirms what I've believed since July. Lebron will exercise the leverage of the opt out <a href="http://t.co/qEN3jAHJFg">http://t.co/qEN3jAHJFg</a></p>— Brian Geltzeiler (@hoopscritic) <a href="https://twitter.com/hoopscritic/status/549952237674704896">December 30, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Whether Lebron would leave or not is immaterial. If he has Gilbert believing he'll leave, he has the leverage. He did it once...</p>— Brian Geltzeiler (@hoopscritic) <a href="https://twitter.com/hoopscritic/status/549952659957243905">December 30, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>What Lebron does with that leverage is a different story. He already applied pressure to extend Varejao which hurts ability to upgrade team</p>— Brian Geltzeiler (@hoopscritic) <a href="https://twitter.com/hoopscritic/status/549952896344010752">December 30, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>The predicament that Gilbert/Griffin are in is that Lebron will hold them responsible for his own poor decision making. Need to push back</p>— Brian Geltzeiler (@hoopscritic) <a href="https://twitter.com/hoopscritic/status/549953246199296001">December 30, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Well if LeBron is using leverage to get a terrible coach fired then kudos to him. Someone just do it already, geez. The guy looks like a salamander out there.
If he wants the coach fired, he doesn't have to go through the media. Just talk to the owner in private and the coach will be gone.
That's team basketball and that's how team basketball should be played," James said. "It's selfless. Guys move, cut, pass, you've got a shot, you take it. But it's all for the team and it's never about the individual. That's the brand of basketball, and that's how team basketball should be played." LeBron James, USA TODAY,June 16, 2014 after Miami lost to the spurs. <iframe class="vine-embed" src="https://vine.co/v/OHDjYbBiO9q/embed/simple" width="600" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe><script async src="//platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
That's team basketball and that's how team basketball should be played," James said. "It's selfless. Guys move, cut, pass, you've got a shot, you take it. But it's all for the team and it's never about the individual. That's the brand of basketball, and that's how team basketball should be played." LeBron James, USA TODAY,June 16, 2014 after Miami lost to the spurs. <iframe class="vine-embed" src="https://vine.co/v/OHDjYbBiO9q/embed/simple" width="600" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe><script async src="//platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Durant might leave OKC. Rose may jet the bulls. Davis thinking of gettin' out of New Orleans. gimmee clicks gimmee clicks! see I can do it too.
blatt has been very unimpressive thus far. their team D is crap while their offense inexplicably sputters with laughable ball/player movement far too often. and they've laid way too many duds not getting up for games -- that's the coach's job to motivate his squad every night.
I understand how everyone feels about him going back, committing, and wanting to leave again. It makes him look weak. But at the same time, players play for multiple teams all the time. Mostly through trades that are out of the players control. It shouldn’t be an issue when a player changes their mind and wants to play for a different team. What these teams need to start doing is trade Lebron and get whatever they can for him before he decides to “bolt” Hopefully Cleveland learned their lesson from before.
Their playoff showing was really bad, I'm not surprised. All knee jerks aside, Dion Waiters is probably a cancer. The best cure is quick surgical removal before metastasis. <iframe class="vine-embed" src="https://vine.co/v/OHDjYbBiO9q/embed/simple" width="320" height="320" frameborder="0"></iframe><script async src="//platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Slow news day. Who cares really even if it were true? He signed a multiyear deal with cleveland, not a lifetime contract. Get over it.
To be fair, he knew Blatt was the coach before he returned. It's not like they lured him back and then dropped a rookie coach on him out of nowhere. And isn't Cleveland pretty devoid of assets after going all in on KLove (at Lebron's request)?
Yeah, they hired a transition/experimental coach assuming they were developing youth and biding their time. Then LeBron came. At that point just own up to the mistake and fire the coach. No need to waste everyone's time and make things worse. He should have been fired before the season began. The stakes are too high to waste time muddling through all this crap.
The Cavs still have some assets but certainly not many. They have some future draft picks, will get an exception for Sideshow BOB and have Waiters. Blatt was hired before LBJ and I seriously doubt he would have been hired if they knew James was coming. I agree, they should have fired Blatt when they got LBJ and Love. My guess is that James and the Cavs believed it didn't matter who the coach was as long as James/Love/Kyrie were on the team. From what I have seen, Blatt knows what he is doing and has a system that can work. However the players simply do not respect him and can't shake the stink of losing off of them. They still think they will just turn it on.
They gave up a lot of assets just to clear cap for him, and than they gave andrew wiggins, in the kevin love deal, to make him satisfied. If he leaves them after all that without informing them and allowing them to get assets for him, they will stay with nothing! leBron will leave and love will be as good as gone. at least he needs to have some dignity and help them, if he meant the words in the letter he wrote and the city is important to him. And if he wants to stay like the letter suggested, he needs to come out and say it loudly, be loyal, and stop playing with the fans hearts!
