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Cavs Fire Mike Brown, Name Griffin Full-Time GM

May 12th, 2014 at 2:20pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Cavs have fired coach Mike Brown and removed the interim tag from GM David Griffin‘s title, the team announced. Griffin appeared close to appointment as the team’s GM this weekend, just as doubts about Brown’s future lingered. It’s the second time that the Cavs have parted ways with Brown in the past four years. They hired him for a second stint last summer, but he didn’t last after compiling a 33-49 record in a season in which owner Dan Gilbert expected to make the playoffs.

“This is a very tough business. It pains all of us here that we needed to make the difficult decision of releasing Mike Brown,” Gilbert said in the team’s statement. “Mike worked hard over this last season to move our team in the right direction. Although, there was some progress from our finish over the few prior seasons, we believe we need to head in a different direction. We wish Mike and his family nothing but the best.”

Brown rejoined the Cavs last year on a five-year deal worth between $20-25MM, but it appears the team will have to shell out much of that money for a coach who won’t be on their sidelines. Gilbert was reportedly looking for feedback from the players and the front office staff on Brown as he made his decision about whether to retain the coach, and another report indicated that the players were in Brown’s corner, with Dion Waiters his loudest supporter. Brown was hired under former GM Chris Grant, whom Gilbert axed in February. Griffin has been serving in his place ever since.

The team responded well to the switch from Grant to Griffin, winning six in a row immediately after the change and going 17-16 overall. Griffin acquired Spencer Hawes at the trade deadline, and he meshed well with the team, giving it an outside shooter to balance the floor on the offensive end. Isiah Thomas and George Karl were among those who campaigned for the top front office job, and Gilbert considered other candidates, but Griffin gave the impression he’d be retained in a season-ending press conference last month.

“Our ownership group is looking forward to David Griffin leading the basketball side of our business. We interviewed several strong candidates for the GM position including Griff,” Gilbert said. “We chose David as our GM because we believe he is the best person to lead our franchise at this critical time and into the future. David brings over two decades of experience. He knows the ins and outs of this league as well as anyone and is also an outstanding talent evaluator.”

Griffin joined the Cavs as vice president of basketball operations in 2010, serving under Grant. He’d spent the previous 17 years with the Suns, rising from intern to senior vice president of basketball operations, a role in which he assisted Steve Kerr, now the primary coaching candidate for the Knicks.

And-Ones: Sterling, Cavs, Brown, Rockets

May 11th, 2014 at 10:36pm CST by Zachary Links

Donald Sterling’s sit down with Anderson Cooper airs on CNN tomorrow night, but Charles Barkley won’t be among those watching. “We got to work tomorrow night so we don’t have to watch that junk,” the Hall of Famer told his Inside The NBA cohorts as they came back from commercial, as noted by Nina Mandell of USA Today. Here’s tonight’s look around the league..

LeBron James and other NBA players are concerned about Shelly Sterling taking control of the Clippers, but a statement released this evening by NBA spokesman Mike Bass could put those worries to bed. “Under the NBA Constitution, if a controlling owner’s interest is terminated by a 3/4 vote, all other team owners’ interests are automatically terminated as well. It doesn’t matter whether the owners are related as is the case here. These are the rules to which all NBA owners agreed to as a condition of owning their team,” the statement read (Howard Beck of Bleacher Report on Twitter).
Shelly Sterling’s attorney released a statement of his own to reporters, including Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com (on Twitter).
Sources tell Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio that Cavs owner Dan Gilbert will support whatever decision the team’s next GM makes regarding Mike Brown. So, it appears the coach’s fate is in the hands of David Griffin, who’s expected to have the interim tag removed from his GM title soon. People around the league are split on whether Griffin would retain Brown, according to Amico.
Kostas Papanikolaou, whose NBA rights are owned by the Rockets, says he’s in no rush to make the leap over. “Nothing changed in my thoughts about the NBA. If I get a good chance, I will go. However, I am new in this team [FC Barcelona Regal], they have treated me with respect and I only think about Barcelona. A team that helps me evolve my game and be better. So, I don’t know what will happen, if I will end up in the NBA this summer or the next one,” the Euroleague standout told Nikos Varlas of Eurohoops.net.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Cavs Expected To Name Griffin Permanent GM

May 10th, 2014 at 8:38pm CST by Eddie Scarito

David Griffin is close to being named the permanent GM of the Cavaliers, reports Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. This news is also confirmed by a tweet from Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. Griffin has been the team’s acting general manager since team owner Dan Gilbert fired Chris Grant on Feb. 6th. According to the article, neither Gilbert nor Griffin would comment, but a source said that after interviewing four or five serious candidates, the Cavs settled on Griffin.

After Griffin took over for Grant, the team responded with a six-game winning streak, which was its longest since the 2009/10 season, and went 17-16 the rest of the way, remaining in the playoff hunt until the final week of the season, notes Schmitt Boyer. He was the one who pulled the trigger on the trade that brought Spencer Hawes in from the Sixers.

Griffin joined the Cavs as vice president of basketball operations in 2010, after Danny Ferry resigned as GM. Before joining the Cavs, Griffin spent 17 years with the Suns, starting as an intern in communications and working his way up to Suns senior vice president of basketball operations. During his time with Phoenix he also served as assistant GM of player personnel, director of player personnel, assistant director of player personnel, basketball operations assistant and media relations assistant, per the article.

One of the first calls that Griffin will have to make is in regard to the status of coach Mike Brown. No matter who is named GM, a league source tells Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio that Brown’s job is “very much up in the air” (Twitter link).

Eastern Notes: Thibodeau, Young, Cavs, Bucks

May 3rd, 2014 at 9:12pm CST by Cray Allred

In a subscription-only piece, K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune looks at the Bulls roster heading into the offseason, addressing 10 of the 15 players that finished the year under contract in Chicago. Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

David Haugh of The Chicago Tribune thinks that the Bulls are highly unlikely to grant an opportunity for Tom Thibodeau to speak with the Lakers, who are rumored to have interest in the coach. However, Haugh believes the lack of a public statement to dispel the notion from either Thibodeau or management belies a pettiness between the two sides.
A league source floated a far-fetched possibility to Haugh: that Thibodeau and Carmelo Anthony, both represented by Creative Arts Agency, could angle to join forces with the Lakers, rather than with the Bulls.
Tom Moore of Calkins Media thinks that Thaddeus Young could demand a trade this offseason, if the Sixers draft a power forward in the lottery and ask the veteran to come off the bench for another losing season. Though Young survived Philadelphia’s efforts to deal away most of its veterans for draft assets this past trade deadlines, speculation about Young’s future with the team has remained.
The Cavs are waiting to see which candidates become available before making the final call on interim GM David Griffin and coach Mike Brown, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
Members of the Bucks coaching staff and front office still remain uncertain about their employment status in wake of the team’s new ownership, tweets Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times.

Charlie Adams contributed to this post.

Cavs Notes: Griffin, Brown, Irving, Waiters

April 22nd, 2014 at 11:58am CST by Chuck Myron

Reports have linked Cavs interim GM David Griffin to the front offices of the Knicks, and, more recently, the Pistons, but he indicated a strong preference to remain in Cleveland as he spoke today with reporters, including Jodie Valade of The Plain Dealer.

“You’re either all the way in, or you’re all the way out,” Griffin said. “There’s no in-between. This is where I want to be.”

Here’s more on Griffin and the Cavs:

Griffin said he doesn’t know when he’ll hear about his future with the team from owner Dan Gilbert, and while he said he’s confident that he and Gilbert are moving in the same direction, Griffin also said he needs to improve, Valade notes in the same piece. Still, the acting GM gave the impression that his job is safe, as Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio observes (Twitter link).
Coach Mike Brown is on shakier ground, according to Amico, and ownership is looking for honest assessments of Brown from the team’s players and, once in place, its front office staff, Amico writes.
Griffin would like to shift the team’s focus from “asset accumulation mode” to “target acquisition mode,” he says, and he plans to target size, toughness, basketball IQ and shooting, as Valade chronicles. Still, he’s high on his backcourt pairing of Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters. “I’ve seen flashes of them being very, very good together,” Griffin said. “… They’re two ball-dominant, drive-and-kick players. They require spacing and shooters. It’s too easy to look at them and blame one of them. It’s a collective thing.”

Cavaliers Notes: Brown, Irving, Griffin

April 17th, 2014 at 6:28pm CST by Alex Lee

There is no shortage of work to be done in Cleveland this summer. Before the annual personnel decisions come down, the Cavs must figure out who is making them and, ultimately, who will coach the players their general manager has assembled. However, Cavs fans shouldn’t expect any answers this weekend, Bob Finnan of the News-Herald writes, as Dan Gilbert is attending the Board of Governors meeting in New York City on Thursday and Friday.

Here is the latest coming out of Cleveland:

Cavaliers’ players are lining up to advocate the return of head coach Mike Brown, writes Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal. Point guard Kyrie Irving predicts the coach will stay and is happy about it, tweets Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. Meanwhile, Dion Waiters was perhaps Brown’s most vocal proponent, tweets Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, saying: “I’d like to see coach back. I don’t think we need any more changes. Coach fits the team.”
Speaking of Irving, the point guard came as close as he ever has to indicating that he’d like to remain in Cleveland after Wednesday night’s season finale, writes the Plain Dealer’s Jodie Valade. From Irving: “I’ve been a part of this and I want to continue to be a part of this,” he said. “We’re making strides in the right direction, especially in this organization. I want to be part of something special, and I want to be part of something special in Cleveland.”
In a blog post chock full of Cavs tidbits, Lloyd believes the team should at least kick the tires on trading Irving this summer, reminding us that some within the organization are unsure he is worthy of a max deal. We heard much of the same in February from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. This is the first offseason that Irving is eligible to sign an extension.
Amico writes that the Cavs, who were 17-16 in their final 33 games, should first focus on what went right this season before determining what needs to change, adding that they have a lottery pick, some movable contracts and cap space to play with. That 33-game stretch was under the general management of David Griffin, who is the front runner to retain that position, according to Amico.

Amico’s Latest: Gilbert, Griffin, Brown, Offseason

April 15th, 2014 at 7:05pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Dan Gilbert is reportedly “enraged” that his team missed the playoffs this season, though a source tells Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio that the Cavaliers owner isn’t likely to “overreact and start firing everybody.” He is, however, expected to meticulously determine who is best suited to run the basketball side of things in Cleveland this summer. One option includes offering interim GM David Griffin the full-time position, and sources tell Amico that Gilbert has been impressed with the way the team’s locker room culture has changed since Griffin took over the front office. On the contrary, another source believes that the chances of keeping the team’s current management intact is “shaky.”

Amico has plenty more to share out of the Forest City, and you can find a comprehensive roundup of his notes below:

Mike Brown‘s status with the team is also expected to be determined this summer, and Amico hears that the new GM – whether it’d be Griffin or someone else – will be given the authority to make a decision on Brown’s future. With that being said, Amico opines that Gilbert could still opt to make the call on Brown by himself. The 44-year-old head coach just completed the first of a five-year deal worth $20MM and has a buyout option in the fifth year.
An opposing executive tells Amico that the Cavs GM position – with plenty of assets and options right now – would be an enticing opportunity for potential candidates: “The job is appealing, because (they) are right there…I know a lot of people on our staff who would take it.” The same exec also thinks that Gilbert’s willingness to spend and his desire to win helps make the job that much more appealing.
No player is untouchable in the right deal, and the general feeling is that the team will aggressively pursue a significant trade this summer.
Though the plan is to keep Luol Deng for the long-term, Gilbert is “still steaming” over the fact that former GM Chris Grant surrendered future draft picks to acquire him from Chicago. Deng could leave as an unrestricted free agent in July.
Though often mentioned as a potential trade chip, Dion Waiters has found favor with the front office, coaches, and fellow teammates, and is seen as a key piece to the team’s future. Amico observes that the current priority is to make Waiters and point guard Kyrie Irving the team’s long-term starting backcourt. Waiters has reportedly garnered acclaim and respect from teammates because of his effort and maturation.

Eastern Notes: Knicks, Sixers, Brown

April 12th, 2014 at 8:05pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Knicks have a plan for the future that they will pitch to Carmelo Anthony, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. The plan will be to re-sign Anthony this summer, bottom out in the 2014/15 standings, clear the contracts of Amar’e Stoudemire, Andrea Bargnani, and Tyson Chandler, then make a big free agent signing during the summer of 2015, opines Berman.

Eastern Rumors: Cavs, Jackson, Brown, Rondo

March 15th, 2014 at 5:07pm CST by Charlie Adams

Here’s the latest slate of rumors out of the NBA’s Eastern Conference..

The Cavaliers were interested in hiring Phil Jackson in some capacity, writes Bob Finnan of the Morning Journal. However, the Knicks moved in quickly and signed him before they could act.
In the same piece, Finnan notes that Mike Brown has had to alter his coaching style to accommodate to a young and inexperienced Cavaliers team this season. Still, Brown is on the hot seat and might find himself out of the job in Cleveland, Finnan suggests.
Charley Rosen of HoopsHype runs down the Knicks‘ roster and explores the likelihood that each player has of being retained by Jackson. Rosen notes many of the players on the team don’t appear to be fits for Jackson’s system.
Rajon Rondo has consistently been the topic of trade rumors, but Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck recently spoke out and said that Rondo will continue to be the leader of the franchise going forward. Grousbeck’s words mean a lot to Rondo, reports Mike Petraglia of WEEI. “It means a lot, especially coming from the head guy,” Rondo said. “With all the rumors swirling, the criticism that I was having throughout the past couple weeks, he stuck his neck out. He didn’t have to say anything, but he did.”

Central Notes: Bynum, Ilyasova, Fredette

March 1st, 2014 at 8:50am CST by Cray Allred

Chronic knee injuries have taken a permanent toll on Andrew Bynum, who will have to play through pain for the rest of his career. The Pacers big man says he has the drive to push through the injuries and contribute at a high level again, despite a lost season with the Sixers and an ugly release from the Cavs this year, he tells Candace Buckner of The Indy Star. “My motivation is because I want a championship. I want to play.” Here’s more from the Central Division:

Bynum admits to Buckner that he launched a half court shot and mocked an assistant coach in Cleveland out of frustration, which was rumored as the impetus behind the Cavs choice to suspend and then release him.
Bynum found Cavs coach Mike Brown‘s system too complex, and the winning attitudes in Cleveland lacking. Alternately, Bynum is impressed with the Pacers culture. “It’s better, it’s more structured. You’re here, they do what they need to do with you and then you’re out. It’s not like something is going on forever. Everything has a plan and you try to stick to it and accomplish it, that’s always good.”
Ersan Ilyasova tells Charles F. Gardner of Milwauke Journal Sentinel that he’s hoping the latest reset for the Bucks will be the last for a while. “Even last year being in the playoffs and we were hoping we were going to build on it. I came back to Milwaukee and it was like a new team. It’s really frustrating but at some point we have to find stability,” says Ilyasova. “We have a great organization. We have good fans, but we just have to be consistent with what we do. At some point I’m hoping we find the right pieces. I feel really comfortable being with the Milwaukee Bucks. We’ve had a lot of change, but I hope we find the right players.” Ilyasova requested a trade earlier in the year, but while Milwaukee shipped out guards Gary Neal and Luke Ridnour, they held on to the 26-year-old power forward they signed to a five-year, $40MM contract two offseasons ago.
Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders thinks the Jimmer Fredette signing by the Bulls will be good for both the team and player. Chicago needs outside shooting, which Fredette can provide, and Fredette needs playing time to rebuild his value before becoming a free agent this offseason.