[existential]

the Cavs job was a far more attractive one for Blatt when Lebron had no plans of coming back

[Ralphie Halves]

Am I the only one that thinks Blatt is a good coach? He's succeeded everywhere he's been. Got a lot out of that team after Love and then Irving went down in the playoffs. They transformed from a high scoring team to a lock-down defensive team and gave the Warriors problems until they could adjust and win with superior talent.

Lebron isn't allowing himself to be coached, so I guess there's no choice if you're Cleveland, but that's on Lebron. Great players on Warriors and Spurs are still coachable and I don't know if that's just a function of the coach. Would Lebron fall in line for Luke Walton?

No, you're dead on. Blatt got better and should not have been fired. No coach out there is going to be able to have a lot of influence over a LeBron-led team, so give up that dream now. This will end up being a bad move.

[BigSpoon]

Headlines should really say Cavs coach/GM LeBron James has fired assistant coach David Blatt. Tyronn Lue has been named the new assistant coach until the end of the season.

[jjgold]

Lebron fired him behind the scenes

Does Lebron like Lue?

[The Giant]

Of course Lebron fired him.

He might as well be the player-coach.

[dmitean]

Terrible decision by Cleveland. Giving in yet again to LeBron... They should have said no to him, when he asked to come back, to begin with...

[IBetYou]

Something sinister about Lue. I can't quite place it. Cavs are the ultimate villan team now with an arrogant star and a lapdog coach and an apologist gm.

As for Blatt, I'm sure he'll get another head coaching job in the nba soon -lots of openings coming up. Minnesota would be a good fit (Mitchell is awful). Reunite with Wiggins (whom he coached in summer league his first year).

[jtoler]

Cavs will be better guaranteed, if you have players who dont want to play for a coach and you bring in a guy who they want to play for seeing they made it to Finals last year they no doubt will improve with basically the same exact team, if not then its because other teams have gotten better or the Cavs arnt clicking, but last year many on the board said they needed to fire Blatt now everyone acting distraught.

[dmitean]

Ok, you don't want Blatt, fire him in the summer. But he was suppose to coach in the ASG as the coach of the team with the best record in the East. He has great record, the team just won two straight and he was dealing with a lot of injuries and tons of rotation changes. Yes, every coach and player makes mistakes, but why on earth, fire him now? Summer... Last summer, this summer, but not now...

[Ballin24]

Ok, you don't want Blatt, fire him in the summer. But he was suppose to coach in the ASG as the coach of the team with the best record in the East. He has great record, the team just won two straight and he was dealing with a lot of injuries and tons of rotation changes. Yes, every coach and player makes mistakes, but why on earth, fire him now? Summer... Last summer, this summer, but not now...

LeBron is the GM that's why. He is going to run this franchise into the ground mark my words he has already messed up their future by trading Wiggins and signing Thompson to a ridiculous contract since he is signed to his company.

[jtoler]

Ok, you don't want Blatt, fire him in the summer. But he was suppose to coach in the ASG as the coach of the team with the best record in the East. He has great record, the team just won two straight and he was dealing with a lot of injuries and tons of rotation changes. Yes, every coach and player makes mistakes, but why on earth, fire him now? Summer... Last summer, this summer, but not now...

Nah bro cant wait that long, this is chess, politics. LeBron is on a 2 year contract, if you plan on wooing him back you get the guy in that he wants in or at least the guy that he wants out, out. To at least say you tried, this is what this is about more than anything, trying to keep Bron in Cleveland. Gilbert has a little sense.

[Ballin24]

Nah bro cant wait that long, this is chess, politics. LeBron is on a 2 year contract, if you plan on wooing him back you get the guy in that he wants in to at least say you tried, this is what this is about more than anything, trying to keep Bron in Cleveland.

That's the issue Lebron wants all the control which is why he takes these 1 year deals. If Cavs were smart they would play hard ball with him because if lebron leaves his legacy will be tarnished forever and lebron is not an idiot he knows this. Who knows he could leave again but you can't let a player run your team.

[IBetYou]

That's the issue Lebron wants all the control which is why he takes these 1 year deals. If Cavs were smart they would play hard ball with him because if lebron leaves his legacy will be tarnished forever and lebron is not an idiot he knows this. Who knows he could leave again but you can't let a player run your team.

Bit late in the day to be playing hard ball. They lost that opportunity when they traded away their youth for Love.

[Grits n' Gravy]

Guy was in over his head. Players don't give a shit if he was great coach in Israel or wherever the hell he coached. This team needs a little shakeup and getting some good players for Love is where you start. Love is meant to be the star of a shitty team. He wants stats, not rings.

[jjgold]

Well I hope Lue does well

Seems like a good coach

I hear Blatt never called out James in film rooms or practices which is not good

[lakerboy]

Cavs will be better guaranteed, if you have players who dont want to play for a coach and you bring in a guy who they want to play for seeing they made it to Finals last year they no doubt will improve with basically the same exact team, if not then its because other teams have gotten better or the Cavs arnt clicking, but last year many on the board said they needed to fire Blatt now everyone acting distraught.

How will they be better? They are in 1st place I the east.

[Walulu]

I'd say better as in play harder and more together for the coach. Presumably that is; think Dolphins for like two weeks possibly if this coach isn't the real deal commanding and getting respect. Time will tell.

[jtoler]

Losing by 40 to Dubs on Blatt's watch, worst loss of Bron's career I think.

[Ralphie Halves]

Something sinister about Lue. I can't quite place it. Cavs are the ultimate villan team now with an arrogant star and a lapdog coach and an apologist gm.

As for Blatt, I'm sure he'll get another head coaching job in the nba soon -lots of openings coming up. Minnesota would be a good fit (Mitchell is awful). Reunite with Wiggins (whom he coached in summer league his first year).

+1

It's going to be tough to gain respect from players when you couldn't get it before, but if whichever team he goes to starts winning, things will change.

[existential]

Nah bro cant wait that long, this is chess, politics. LeBron is on a 2 year contract, if you plan on wooing him back you get the guy in that he wants in or at least the guy that he wants out, out. To at least say you tried, this is what this is about more than anything, trying to keep Bron in Cleveland. Gilbert has a little sense.

Lebron ain't going nowhere. he'll opt out this summer for another raise and 2 year deal.

then he'll opt out again in 2017 to sign a max 5 year deal for an estimated $205M (based on projected future cap numbers).

Cavs will be paying Lebron $40M+ annually beginning at age 33. (with 15 long seasons already played)

things are going to end quite ugly for the city of Cleveland and Lebron.

[jtoler]

Lebron ain't going nowhere. he'll opt out this summer for another raise and 2 year deal.

then he'll opt out again in 2017 to sign a max 5 year deal for an estimated $205M (based on projected future cap numbers).

Cavs will be paying Lebron $40M+ annually beginning at age 33. (with 15 long seasons already played)

things are going to end quite ugly for the city of Cleveland and Lebron.

Not leaving because Blatt is gone. I mean wouldnt anyone pay the max to have him?

[existential]

Not leaving because Blatt is gone.

don't be naive. he was never going to leave regardless because 2017 is his final massive payday and he couldn't sign a true max deal with Cavs until then due to his non-Bird rights.

imagine when Lebron is 35 years old and the Cavs still owe him $120M+

if people thought it was bad when the Lakers still owed Kobe $50M for his final 2 years, they haven't seen anything yet.

[jtoler]

Sadly in 2 years this is probably all people will remember Blatt for.

[jtoler]

don't be naive. he was never going to leave regardless because 2017 is his final massive payday and he couldn't sign a true max deal with Cavs until then due to his non-Bird rights.

imagine when Lebron is 35 years old and the Cavs still owe him $120M+

if people thought it was bad when the Lakers still owed Kobe $50M for his final 2 years, they haven't seen anything yet.

How does that keep him staying with the Cavs if he wanted to leave to be on a better team if it didnt work out the way he wanted?

[existential]

How does that keep him staying with the Cavs if he wanted to leave to be on a better team if it didnt work out the way he wanted?

because the clock would restart if he went somewhere else and thus he couldn't get that true $205M/5yr max deal in 2017 with his new team since they wouldn't have his Bird rights.

everything Lebron has been doing contract-wise since coming back to Cleveland has been for the build-up to 2017 when he's fully vested.

[jtoler]

because the clock would restart if he went somewhere else and thus he couldn't get that true $205M/5yr max deal in 2017 with his new team since they wouldn't have his Bird rights.

everything Lebron has been doing contract-wise since coming back to Cleveland has been for the build-up to 2017 when he's fully vested.

Got it, makes sense then, still if he didnt want Blatt out Blatt would no doubt still be there dont you agree? I dont buy the LeBron wasnt consulted thing which Im sure is a lie, besides everyone wanted him out.

[IBetYou]

+1

It's going to be tough to gain respect from players when you couldn't get it before, but if whichever team he goes to starts winning, things will change.

I don't believe the players didn't respect him. JR Smith loved him. T.Thompson got paid because of him. Irving & Delly were loyal to him also. It was basically James & Love that had issues with him. And then Mo.Williams who was expecting a 6th man role -but can't get on the floor.

[IBetYou]

I think he'd have a long tenure in Minny, if he could land there. Perfect fit.

[existential]

Got it, makes sense then, still if he didnt want Blatt out Blatt would no doubt still be there dont you agree? I dont buy the LeBron wasnt consulted thing which Im sure is a lie, besides everyone wanted him out.

yep, no one can dispute that. Cavs just making fools of themselves at this point with their PR nonsense.

[Conqueror]

yep, no one can dispute that. Cavs just making fools of themselves at this point with their PR nonsense.

Why do we seem to know more than those in Cavs organization?

[Plaza23]

Having a brutha coach other bruthas in the NBA...

Yeah, good plan Lebron.

[tony_come]

Lebroooom no longer a good player, he was never great, good but not great

[nyplayer33]

LeBron would have issue with Phil jackson...he thinks he's god. ..LeBron never a great scorer when it counts..did same bs with Miami ciach..ignored him

[TwoWays]

Well now we can put it to rest. Lebron said he was shocked by the news too.

[jtoler]

Well now we can put it to rest. Lebron said he was shocked by the news too.

Can you imagine Reinsdorf firing Jackson without Jordan getting a heads up or having input on the situation or Buss firing Riley without Magic not knowing? One may say thats different because Blatt had only been there a little over a year, but its not different simply because of who LeBron is, how much the owner wants him in Cleveland, and what he means to that organization. He had to know, heck Stephen A. knew, wouldnt doubt if Stephen A. was sent on the little PR campaign to make it feel like less of a shock.