Whether David Blatt would’ve been better off if LeBron had never come to town, or whether LeBron should’ve been a better, more understanding host to Blatt, or whether James now deserves the dreaded coach-killer tag-that’s all beside the point. With a 30-11 record to start the season while sitting atop of the Eastern Conference, the Cavaliers have had some obstacles to face this year and will face some more hurdles down the road. Paul Westhead was named the team’s interim head coach and led them to the title. Sources told ESPN’s Chris Broussard that many Cavaliers players thought that Blatt was in over his head as a coach. You could certainly argue that a strong coach would find a way to make Love fit in, but maybe Blatt was placed in a position where defeating the Warriors or Spurs in a seven-game series simply isn’t possible. 675 winning percentage was the best of any coach in franchise history.
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In a press conference, Cleveland president David Griffin dismissed the notion that James ordered the sacking, saying that “Lebron doesn’t run this organization, this narrative that we’re somehow taking direction from him isn’t fair”.
“I get upset when they fire college coaches, because our profession is so tough”, Casey said prior to Friday’s game.
Ty Lue, Blatt’s top assistant, has agreed to a three-year deal to become the team’s new head coach. But it would also be naïve to believe Griffin didn’t know how James would feel about the move.
The Cavaliers are set to begin the second half of their 2015-2016 on Saturday night against the Chicago Bulls. “So, I’ve got a problem in general with this narrative – and those of you that have been with us for a while understand this – LeBron plays for this team”.
Blatt guided Cleveland to the NBA Finals last season and the Eastern Conference’s best record midway through this season. At the same time, the players like Rue, whom Bishop said might have gotten the coaching job 13 months ago had Blatt not entered the picture. Lue is a former guard who played 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association, including 1998-2001 with the Lakers. After victories over the Nets and Clippers, he was sacked with Griffin explaining, “pretty good is not what we’re here for”. Ever since Blatt’s arrival in Cleveland, it seemed like things were rocky despite the fact that Blatt coached the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals in his first season with the team.
“I think ownership has spent an unprecedented amount of money on this team”, said Griffin, but has it been spent wisely?
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And according to Wojnarowski, James was at the forefront of the anti-Blatt sentiment permeating throughout Cleveland’s locker room.
