Despite the embarrassment after tonight’s 32-point loss in a prime-time game, the Cavaliers aren’t planning to get rid of coach Tyronn Lue, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. “We are not firing our head coach,” an unidentified Cavaliers official tells the network.
Cleveland will continue to pursue trades through Thursday’s deadline in an effort to snap out of its recent slump, Wojnarowski adds.
Lue has three more years remaining on the five-year, $35MM extension he signed after leading the Cavs to an NBA title in 2016. He has a 108-66 record in one full season and two partial seasons as the team’s head coach.
Frustration was on display throughout the organization after tonight’s loss, notes Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. Lue said in a halftime interview that his team was “soft, weak, no physicality, no toughness, no grit,” and LeBron James suggested banning the Cavaliers from spotlight games.
“I’m lost for words, actually,” James said. “Going 0-8 on national television. They should take us off every nationally televised game for the rest of the season. We haven’t played good ball and we get our butts kicked every time we play on national television, so I’m at a loss for words.”
James’ recent play has been part of the problem, Vardon points out. His scoring average dipped to 23.5 points per game in January and the team was outscored by an average of 7.1 points during the month while he was on the court. He managed just 11 points tonight.
A bigger problem has been the trade of Kyrie Irving to Boston, which Vardon calls “a disaster.” Isaiah Thomas has been slowed by the injuries to his hip and Jae Crowder has been a disappointment as well. Thomas can no longer score like he did with the Celtics, Vardon notes, and the Cavs don’t have enough good defensive players to make up for his deficiencies in that area.
The situation appears critical with James less than five months away from another free agency decision. Cleveland is 6-12 since Christmas and faces the next two months without All-Star forward Kevin Love. A roster that costs $177MM in salary and tax payments won’t be easy to overhaul by Thursday, but it might be the last chance to avoid a total collapse.
What I’ve been trying to say! Thanks Joe!
I’m skeptical that isiah is worse with a healed hip than he was with an injured one (during the playoffs).
The more likely situation is that he was never that good in the first place. He had one great playoffs.
His hip is a chronic condition he’s had for a long time and he hasn’t had surgery. I’m not a doctor, but if he’s had it this long I’m wondering what they’ve told him about surgery.
He’s always been a bad defensive player.
One good playoffs? Clearly you didn’t watch IT with Boston.. or even Phoenix. IT was balling out the past 2-3 years.
IT was a baller. And I’m not to say he won’t be again but you clearly have not been watching if you think he’s still a great player. His hip is jacked up and he’s far from back. He will try his best this year to get paid
i think its easier to say he fit into bostons system very well
I just can’t see them turning it around when the playoffs start; I know the analysts say they can but with this team right now, there is something wrong and I don’t see that happening. Even if they do some deals at the deadline, I don’t think it’ll get them over the top. And no, I don’t think DeAndre Jordan will make much of a difference for them. The problems are more than just basketball with this team right now
There standing doesn’t matter if they make the playoffs then everything resets everyone is at 0 so they could still be the team to beat and this is coming from a Celtics fan
Players quit on coaches, not SFs. I cannot understand Billup’s comments at halftime, saying that players are quitting on James. They were quitting on Lue! But nobody on ABC was talking about Lue, and I have hardly seen a national telecast put the cameras on a coach less. Maybe the fact that Lue is held blameless by the media (excepting HR, congrats) indicates why Lue is so wrong for this job.
He is not defending himself by removing players not competing. Everything seems okay with him. James probably got Lue the job back when Gilbert was catering to him, so what can he say now?
Of course about $25mil is a lot to throw away on a coaching change. Gilbert used to keep up his end of the deal with James but that deal seems to have timed out and Thomas is the shiny new object.
The Cavs are the oldest team in the NBA and the worst team in the NBA, not just on television.
Gilbert has to pay $25 million in luxury tax. Do you think he’ll do it again if they don’t improve?
I think the bottom line is the Cavs have paid the most luxury tax since LeBron returned. Both the Pacers and Cavs have 30 wins. The difference is Cleveland has a $177 million payroll and the Pacers a $93 million payroll. I know Gilbert has a lot of money, but that’s stupidity.
Hyperbole much with the “worst team in the nba”? If they were they’d have half the wins. However right now something is broken. KLove our hurts a ton. Kyrie with his extremely selfish “I want my own team or I won’t play the next two years” threat. Lue not sitting the starters when they start off not even trying. Something is wrong and it’s not talent or the ability to win. I don’t know what it is and neither do you.
We can speculate as it has been in more than a few articles that it’s IT. Which seems dumber than Kyrie’s flat earth theory if he thinks he’ll get a max deal somewhere next season.
Get rid of the problem.
There has to be some (maybe they already have!??!) communication between Gilbert and James to make sure James is committed or not. If not and I’m Gilbert, I let the ship sink, keep the younger players minus those awful ex Boston players and those two 1st rounders.
James is going through diminished skills or he’s just going through the motion. So if I’m James, I’d pick it up as this’ll hurt his brand and future contract.
I’m sure Dan Gilbert appreciates your concern for his wealth. I have other concerns.
You hate front office people and Dan Gilbert. It’s his money and he can do what he wants with it. As far as I know, the Pacers have never gone over the salary cap. You don’t know squat about running a pro sports franchise, so don’t pretend like you do.
Gilbert is smart enough to know how to run a fiscally sound NBA franchise. You don’t.
You just got done writing that Gilbert was running the franchise stupidly, then supported that later in the same paragraph that… nevermind.
Whatever.
Maybe reread before posting.
Mind this. These guys are overpaid because of LeBron’s influence even though you will never admit it. Joe Vardon just wrote about the Cavs roster. Todays news said the Cavs lost $18 million because of the luxury tax. You don’t know squat. I’m glad you’re not in charge. People around the Cavs would like to make money. The Pacers are!
You should reread, I said the Pacers have never gone over the cap. Both the Pacers and Cavs have 30 wins. The Cavs have spent $177 million to the Pacers $93 million.
This time I said it is Gilbert’s money and he can do what he wants. If he wants to let LeBron, IT and the others walk this summer. With his relationship with LeBron, it is becoming more likely. Like today’s news says, Gilbert spent wildly, traded draft picks, and LeBron walked. Gilbert doesn’t want a repeat. Maybe you could go back to school and take reading and finace. Don’t knock Gilbert. He knows how to handle HIS money, not yours or LeBron’s. He wouldn’t have to pay LeBron the max and HE CAN LET HIM WALK LeBron puts him in position of losing money AGAIN. Especially with this group.
Bottom line is today’s article says Gilbert doesn’t want a repeat of the past and is trying to avoid it. LeBron won’t cooperate!
The gap between Pacers is due to LeBron demanding salary for him and his recruits. It’s fine if LeBron and his recruits are making money for Gilbert and winning games like they were. They’re not any more and they have the oldest and worst defensive team in NBA. So Gilbert is putting LeBron in his place like any other GM would. If LeBron can’t get along with Gilbert,it’ll be LeBron leaving, not Gilbert.
Meant worst defensive team in NBA.
There is no one else to blame than LBJ it’s all on him instead of trying to make this team better and not handcuff them by making them sign his friends or trading them and not commenting to the future the cavs are stuck you trade the nets pick for a player that won’t help past this yr so it slowdown any rebuild they will have to do when that a ss hat leaves for nothing
I don’t see Gilbert making any major changes. Like most sports owners, he’ll wait until the seasons over and decide if he wants to start over or not!
The regular season means nothing. Ask the run and gun Suns how much the regular season matters. Ask Shaq. As long as they are in the playoffs they are a lock for East Finals and odds on fav to make NBA Finals. Let’s be real. The Celtics are good all around, but no one on their roster is a dominant force. Kyrie is a nice player. But in a 7 game series he’ll have to put up 40 a game.
I knew when I saw this article the Cavs fans would go off. They just can’t see what everyone else does. This team is old and declining. If they don’t turn it around, Gilbert will do what other NBA owners do. He’ll start over.
I’m a Sixers fan fool.
No way this team beats Celts or Raptors. I can see LeBron going to Philly because Of Embiid, Simmons, Covington, and Saric. He’s to chicken to play in the Western Conference. He won’t want to come back to Cavs when he’s not in charge. He shouldn’t have pissed off Kyrie. Kyrie is Steph Curry’s equal now. Boston will be good for years to come.
So if the playoffs started today the Cs play the Sixers, which I wouldn’t be too confident they even beat the Sixers.
What would Vegas say? Boston is doing well. If they add Tyreke Evans they’ll do better. When Gordon Hayward returns they’ll be better. Gordon Hayward and Brad Stevens are from Butler in Indianapolis, so I’m biased.
I don’t think Miami or Houston can afford LeBron. I think Philly can. I don’t think Dan Gilbert wants to. We’ll see!
I couldn’t disagree more. IT is terrible. TT is terrible. JR is terrible. Shumpert is unplayable. Rose is a joke. They have no big men. Love is hurt. They can’t defend anyone.
So tell me exactly how they “are a lock for the East Finals?”
Former coach Dave Blatt said a few weeks ago, “This is not coach Lues fault. The players will have to step up.” Gilbert has already spent $177 million plus the $25 million in luxury tax. He’s tried to make trades, but other teams don’t want these players. The Clippers tried to trade DeAndre Jordan for Clint Capela. Houston said they won’t trade Capela. The Cavs won’t give up the Brooklyn pick for Jordan. When June gets here, if they are still playing like they are now,
BLOW IT UP. Get a new coach. Let LeBron, IT,
Frye, Caulderon, Rose, Green, Shumpert, Wade, and Frye walk. Trade TT and J.R. Smith.
But they said they would know and James hasen’t asked to be Traded.
LBJ will waive his no-trade.
He’ll go to HOU with Cedi Osman in exchange for Anderson, Gordon, Capela and their 2020 1st Rounder.
That’s my fantasy anyway.
The season is lost. CLE doesn’t have the assets to re-load. They don’t have the talent to compete. So why waste a season?
Go go HOU. Breathe fire with CP3, Ariza, PJ Harden and LRMAM in the WCF. Destroy baby BOS and Kyrie in the Finals. And then plot your next move.
CLE gets a great young asset in Capela, 2x vets who can score points and put (a few) butts in seats and the 1st Rounder. That is about 15% of LBJ’s value but if LBJ tells Gilbert he’s leaving in the off-season…what choice do they have? They might also be able to flip Gordon for another future 1st if they work hard.
Cavs have TOO MANY assets; they just dislike each other, and the coach. They’re not trying.
The FO blew up the team LAST offseason and took control from Griffin and James. But like usually happens, that only sets a team up for having to blow up again (Sacramento). Easier to fire the coach.
OR tell the coach to start your guy Osman at SG, Frye at PF, Rose at PG.
James could do as you imagine, but is not motivated to do so because it would drain the new team. Better to sign as a FA. It would be generous to the old team though, if he knew he was leaving. He hasn’t been calling the shots IMO so that could be motivation.
Cleveland deserves this, for paying Tyronn Lue $7 million per year.
I would like to say that my opinion that James has not been catered to since last year, that he has had no control and little FO influence for 2017/18, is not a known thing, and I have not seen it published anywhere. So, I could be wrong, or else originating that I know of.
People generally think James gets his way… and he did once… It is believed he made a pact with the owner. IDK if he will again if he re-signs. But that was never official, so how does one know it is no longer so? I’m just looking at FO decisions in terms of whether James would push for things. For instance his support group from last year is gone except for two guaranteed contracts that are hard to trade.
This year players have mixed motivations and many are teed off at each other. Lue HAD something that worked and moved right on past it. Why…
Lue made a change because IT came back. The only change he made until TT came back was substituting IT for Calderon. TT in lineup forced Frye to bench!
You’re right, Gilbert has to decide between now and end of season if he wants to resign IT and LeBron and lose money again if they are losing games.
I don’t understand how people blame LeBron.
It’s not his fault that Love, IT, TT, Shump, JR, and Rose have all missed time for various reasons.
It’s not his fault that the team overpaid JR and TT.
It’s not his fault that Lue is overpaid.
He didn’t force the team to sign D Wade.
It’s Gilbert’s fault. He’s gotta put on his big boy pants and take control of HIS TEAM. At the end of the day he has the final say on everything. Not LeBron, not Koby Altman, not Ty Lue, Gilbert.
Read today’s Cleveland.com. It comes from a professional writer.
Shouldn’t have dropped Blatt. There was no real reason to.