The odds are against the Cavaliers re-signing center Timofey Mozgov in free agency if they aren’t able to trade him, writes Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer. Pluto cites Cleveland’s salary cap issues and Mozgov’s declining performance as reasons that he might be moved. In addition, Mozgov suffered through early-season knee problems and doesn’t fit the faster-paced system favored by coach Tyronn Lue. With Anderson Varejao, Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson and Sasha Kaun all on the roster, there may not be room for Mozgov beyond this season.
There’s more news out of Cleveland:
- Cavaliers GM David Griffin is seeking another “wing player,” Pluto writes in the same story. Griffin’s priority is defense, although he would like to find someone who can shoot as well. Pluto mentions the Hawks’ Thabo Sefolosha and the Kings’ Ben McLemore as possibilities, adding that Cleveland may also have interest in Joe Johnson if he gets bought out by the Nets. Pluto’s Plain Dealer colleague Chris Haynes reported that the Cavs would jump at the chance to sign Johnson for the minimum if he works a buyout.
- Kobe Bryant‘s farewell tour has LeBron James thinking about the inevitable end of his basketball career, according to Marla Ridenour of The Akron Beacon Journal. The 13-year veteran isn’t sure if he wants a farewell tour like Bryant’s, but he indicated that he would like to leave the league while he’s still among its best players. “All the respective greats try to play at the highest level they can,” James said. “I’m going to give it my all obviously until I can’t. One thing I won’t be, I don’t ever believe or think that I’ll be an embarrassment to my fans or my family.”
- Lue said unusual circumstances have contributed to make the midseason coaching change in Cleveland more difficult than it might have been, Ridenour writes in a separate story. Lue is considered a villain in Israel after being chosen to replace David Blatt on the Cavaliers’ bench, and he is belittled by some people for being selected as an All-Star Game coach with so little experience. “I’ve been able to block it out, but it’s still tough,” Lue said. “You’ve been in this league for 18 years and people who know you and your family know that you’re not that way. It’s tough for people to talk about you in that sense. But it’s OK, I can get over it.”
“He is belittled by some people for being selected as an All-Star Game coach with so little experience.” Well, shouldn’t he be? They fired a guy with a good enough record to be the All Star game coach and then had his replacement coach the AS team instead? What exactly did Lue do to deserve the honor other being promoted to replace the head coach of a team who had hired him as his assistant?
I’ve said this many times the cavs to me simply aren’t ready & are not built to win multiple championships at least not now they need to start over fire the GM and hire one that has a blueprint on how to build championship teams with an identity , this team has no identity what so ever and they made quite painfully obvious the cavs biggest miatake s is that their not patient enough with developing young players and mixing that in with the vets take note on how the Spurs rebuild their team they were on the decline back in 2011 they made the playoffs but likely got put out their goal were to win a championship that year , but they were patient they had time to revalue there situation should they blow it all or up make some major changes that would benefit them not just short term but long term as much intended. They traded George hill to the pacers for draft rights to a player who is now possibly the face of the franchise that being kahwi Leonard, he was picked 15th overall and was inexcusably underated , but he turned out to be the right gamble for them instead of hanging onto hill despite how he was mainly their 3rd scoring option if the big 3 couldn’t get the job done on an occasion but they took a chance with cheap potential rather than unproven high priced vets, and BC of them having that key word called patience it had resulted in the Spurs winning a championship the following year and all thanks to a 2nd sophomore who didn’t have playoff experience but held his own BC the Spurs trusted him they ran most of their plays and offense through him…if the cavs just learn to make the right moves that benefits them short & long term and learn how to cope and be patient with young talent they will win a championship sooner than 3 to 4 years into the future and that they can continue to stay young , atheletic & competitive for many years after lebrons retirement or if he so choses to join else where the time is now for the cavs to start to evaluate there situation and if whom they have as David Griffin being their current GM is the right solution…
Lue said Blatt could have coached the ASG if he wanted to.
Obviously Blatt turned down that idea or the NBA disallowed it.
Either way, had nothing to do with Lue’s character.