The Cleveland Cavaliers are an absolute mess this season, and owner Dan Gilbert has finally had enough.
After watching his team suffer a humiliating defeat at home against a depleted Los Angeles Lakers team on Wednesday, Gilbert made the decision to fire general manager Chris Grant, the architect of this currently-disastrous team. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports first reported the news:
Gilbert informed Grant of his dismissal late Thursday morning, sources said.
Assistant general manager David Griffin will take over as the interim GM, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
Gilbert had grown increasingly frustrated with the losing and dysfunction within the Cavaliers, and the loss to the Lakers – who finished the game with four eligible players – was the breaking point.
Grant had a reputation as a hard-working executive, but failed to construct an infrastructure of talent to return the Cavaliers to the playoffs for the first time since LeBron James left as a free agent in 2010.
Grant had been responsible for drafting several high lottery picks that have yet to validate themselves, including No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett in the 2013 NBA draft. Grant has been waiting for several top-five draft picks, including Dion Waiters and Tristan Thompson, to fulfill their promise.
So who are the potential replacements for Grant? Ken Berger of CBSSports says there is no shortage of good general managers to choose from:
David Griffin, who was named acting GM, is expected to get a shot at the permanent job and is deserving of consideration. Where else can Gilbert go? It all depends on what he’s seeking.
Among capable candidates who are currently available, former Memphis GM Chris Wallace stands out for his experience building a contender in a small market. Former Knicks GM Glen Grunwald is highly regarded around the league and built a roster that won 54 games last season before being surprisingly demoted only days before training camp. Former New Orleans GM Jeff Bower is coaching at Marist College but remains highly respected in the NBA.
Since Gilbert likes big names, you can expect Phil Jackson to enter the equation, although the Zen Master said no to Cleveland’s coaching job last summer. Pacers executive Donnie Walsh has a long history of small-market success and also executed a quick rebuild during his short time with the Knicks. The Cavs already have done some background checking on a current member of the Knicks’ front office, director of pro personnel Mark Hughes, league sources told CBSSports.com.
Despite all the negativity surrounding his team, the man who once boldly stated that the Cavaliers would win a championship before LeBron James remains positive and hopeful about the current season, from Jodie Valade of The Plain Dealer:
“Clearly we’ve had some issues putting it all together, playing as a team, chemistry and all that,” Gilbert said. “I just believe it can be turned around.”
Turned around so that the Cavaliers can achieve Gilbert’s self-professed goal of making the playoffs this season? He’s not ruling it out.
“We’re focused on the future and the chemistry and the culture and the environment of this team,” he said. “If we can turn that around, anything can happen. Anything’s possible this season.”
Addressing media after relieving Grant of his job, Gilbert said that despite the team’s record and reports of locker room dysfunction, he likes the players and coach Mike Brown. He just no longer was confident the general manager who put it all together was the one to lead the franchise.
“This is really about a directional move in the franchise,” Gilbert said. “The fans deserve more.”
“At this point, after the amount of time the former general manager had, we just felt it was time,” Gilbert said. “We needed a shift in certain cultural aspects and a different environment.”
“This coaching staff and this team can succeed,” he said. “There is just no reason why they can’t. Obviously there’s challenges we’ve all seen. But they can overcome them and they can succeed. I believe in them.”
“We’re going to see Mike Brown succeed this year,” Gilbert said. “I think he will be able to do good things in the next 30 games or so. I think this team is going to be able to do good things. They’re going to look at each other, look in the mirror, and they’re going to rally. We’re going to do everything we can to give them the air cover they need.”
Cleveland is 16-33 on the season, and has shown no signs of improved play. I’m not really sure where Gilbert’s faith in Brown comes from or how firing Grant now is supposed to change anything for the product on the floor in mid-season. Just about every player on the team has regressed since last season under the tutelage of the new coach, and no one seems to be buying in on whatever message he has been trying to relay.
Because the Cavaliers are part of an anemic conference, they are only behind 5 1/2 games for the eighth seed of the playoffs. If they somehow get hot and go on an unlikely run, it’s not completely out of the question that they can still make the playoffs (and consequently get embarrassed and exposed nationally by the Indiana Pacers in the first round). I suppose a bad experience would be better than no experience, especially for young players like Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson, who have never smelled the atmosphere of a playoff series.
Of course, now we’re thinking way too far ahead and assuming that a best-case scenario could happen for these Cavaliers, which is highly, highly unlikely with Brown continuing to blaze through games without an idea or schemes that would actually work for the players he has.
BARKLEY SOUNDS OFF ON DERON WILLIAMS AND STEPHEN CURRY:
Charles Barkley is never one to shy away from his opinion on anything or anyone. On Thursday, he was less than complimentary on guards Deron Williams and Stephen Curry. Here is what he had to say about Williams, from Mike Mazzeo of ESPN NY:
Charles Barkley doesn’t think much of the Brooklyn Nets or their $98 million point guard.
Shortly after saying the Nets “aren’t good at all” during an interview on ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike” on Thursday, Barkley went off on Deron Williams on a TNT conference call with reporters.
“Deron Williams has been hurt a lot the last couple of years,” Barkley said. “He’s never going to get back to Utah. His best days are behind him.”
And here are his thoughts on All-Star starter Curry and why the point guard is not a superstar, from Rusty Simmons of San Francisco Chronicle:
“He deserved to make it last year, and I’m glad he made it this year. They have a good, solid team. The maturation of Steph’s game is going to come when he learns to make the players around him better. He does have assists, but not the right kind. There are a lot of very good players in the NBA, but to go from a very good player to an All-Star to a superstar, you have to start making the players around you better. That’s the next maturation process for Steph Curry. He’s a very good player. He’s an All-Star. Now, he has to learn to make the players around him better. You’ll know it when you see it. We’re not seeing it. Kenny knows I’m right. He’ll know it when he sees it. I can’t explain it.”
CLIP OF THE DAY:
Mike Woodson was less than pleased with the officiating of veteran Danny Crawford during the contest between the New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers. Here is what he had to say to the referee after the game:
Something about a ducking full ship and a jazz soul?
PROBLEM WITH OFFICIATING:
With 28.5 seconds left to go and his team down by six against the Sacramento Kings, Kyle Lowry got free on an inbounds play and nailed a 3-pointer to make it a one-possession game. Unfortunately, a referee saw a phantom foul against the point guard on the play and waived off the shot:
The ref may have thought that Lowry kicked his leg up to create contact against the defender, but the guard was clearly in his natural shooting form with his feet sweeping forward – something all great shooters in the NBA do. To make matters worse, the ref then called a technical foul on Lowry for his reaction on the call, effectively ending any chance the Toronto Raptors may have had of winning the game. Now that’s what you call a screw job.
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