Cavs’ owner Dan Gilbert is taking some heat, no pun intended, for his letter to the team’s fans and his comments in an interview with the Associated Press.
Although he shouldn’t have brought up the opinion that LeBron James quit in both this past season’s series against Boston, but also in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals against Orlando the year prior, there is no problem here with his other comments.
Gilbert was speaking for all Cavalier fans in his statement on Thursday night. He was hurt and disappointed, especially since he did everything he could to deliver a title for James. His comments will only make him more popular with the city of Cleveland populous.
Besides, it’s not as though James can leave again, and it’s not as though there’s a chance he’s coming back in a year or two.
A number of the ESPN commentators, (by the way, are there more self-serving idiots than some of these guys?) said Gilbert’s tirade would make it impossible to attract players to the franchise.
That’s lunacy. The Cavs had one of the best players in the league and couldn’t attract big time free agents. Heck, Chris Bosh refused a sign and trade to team with James before the owner went off. If Gilbert is willing and able to dole out a boatload of money, players will come. Otherwise, the organization will have to make trade to get quality players.
There is also is no problem with Gilbert going back on his earlier decision not to do a sign and trade. Once James made the decision, it was the prudent thing to do to get something back. The four draft choices were nice, but not a huge deal immediately because the Heat figure to be title contenders. However, who knows what might happen in 2015. Remember, everybody shows age.
The bigger chip will be the $14.5 trade exemption, which should allow the team to deal for a very good player without having to give up a lot.
One more thing on the owner’s comments, he said what a lot of owners would like to say. Mark Cuban tweeted "Way to go, Dan" on Friday.
The next order of business for GM Chris Grant should be to deal players who made their living off of playing with James. Guys like Boobie Gibson and perhaps even Anderson Varajao could be on the block, although the latter’s defensive skills had nothing to do with James, and that’s his real value to the team.
We’ve said before that Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon have more skills than were shown in the wine and gold’s offense this past season. Let’s see if new coach Byron Scott will get more out of them.
Will Grant and Scott go after free agent Richard Jefferson as the new small forward? Jefferson played for Scott in New Jersey and is a solid player who would give the new Cavs three very good players in addition to Antawn Jamison and Mo Williams.
One last comment about the circus that occurred in Miami on Friday night, besides the nausea it caused.
Apparently, someone woke up Pat Riley this off-season, and now he’s a genius again. Riley has won just one title since Magic Johnson ceased being his point guard, and that title was because he gravy trained it by booting Stan Van Gundy out the door.
Riley was excellent orchestrating with Johnson the "Showtime" Lakers that the new Cavs coach played on, but he also took the game to a low with the thug style of play he coached with the Knicks in the 90’s. You know it’s just of matter of time before he’s roaming the sidelines again.
Also loved James’ comments that he and his buddies want to return the Heat to the top. Return? They were there just one season. In fact, since 2000, the Miami Heat have had just two 50 win seasons (2003-04 and the title year of 2004-05). FYI, the Cavs have had four seasons with that total in the same span. It’s not like they are playing for a traditional NBA power like the Celtics and the Lakers, or even the Bulls. Miami is hardly one of the league’s hallmark franchises, and they were in the middle of the pack in attendance this season despite having Dwyane Wade.
That city is certainly deserving of a winner.
JK
Cleveland Sports Perspective 