Cavs GM David Griffin On His New Position
Many believe that acting Cavs GM David Griffin has a 30-game audition to show majority owner Dan Gilbert he has what it takes to earn the job full time. Meanwhile, Gilbert has reportedly reached out to prominent agent Mark Bartelstein to gauge his interest in becoming the team’s new GM. Bartelstein is the kingpin of Priority Sports in Chicago. Bob Finnan of The News-Herald sat down to chat with Griffin about his new position, and here are some of the highlights:
On replacing his friend as the GM:
“On a personal level, this is bittersweet, obviously. Chris (Grant) is somebody I had a great deal of respect for and had a personal relationship with. I’m very much looking forward to tackling this opportunity at the same time.”
On what he has to do in his new position:
“It’s time to capitalize on all of the benefits we have and, more than anything else, I think it’s time to really bring this to a place where everybody wants to be, bring it to an environment and have the sort of symbiotic relationship with each other, where we believe in each other enough and trust each other enough to tell each other what they need to do here and to do it on the court. I think we have a group of kids that want to do that. I know we have a coaching staff that comes to work each day with the spirit of finding a way. We will find a way, and this team will succeed.”
On if he believes this is a 30-game audition:
“The indication I have is I’m here right now. Dan has shown a great deal of faith in me, and he and his ownership group have put me in a position to be very successful right now. I have full latitude to do this job. I have their support to do this job. I will not be taking calls as a secretary. I will be the general manager of the team. What that means moving forward, candidly, is very irrelevant to me. If I’m going to be successful in this position, it’s because we as a group have results. And if we have those results, then you tend to get to stay. If you don’t, you go away. That’s the nature of this beast. Dan doesn’t need to say anything to me. We need to produce. That’s how I know I’m going to be there.”
On if the team will be buyers or sellers at this year’s deadline:
“I don’t see how you get better and win more games selling. We’re going to buy to the extent that it makes us better for the long haul. I don’t think we’re going to do anything that’s an act of desperation. I think we’re going to be willing to buy the right asset at the right price. We are dedicated 100 percent from top to bottom to getting better and that’s what we’re going to do.”
Knicks Notes: Anthony, Deadline, Frazier
Carmelo Anthony fully intends to opt out of his contract at the end of the year, but he might just be stuck in New York, writes Mitch Lawrence of The New York Daily News. The Lakers are shooting for Kevin Love when he is a free agent in the summer of 2015 and maybe another star in 2016. The Clippers are seeing Blake Griffin evolve into a complete player and probably wouldn’t be willing to trade him, even for a player of Anthony’s caliber. Los Angeles is one of very few markets outside New York where ‘Melo would be willing to take his considerable scoring prowess, opines Lawrence, and neither L.A. team seems like a fit. The Bulls don’t seem to have their eyes on Anthony either, according to the article, so there isn’t another major market in the NBA for Anthony to go to, so that leaves him “stuck” at the Garden.
More on Anthony:
- ‘Melo has very low expectations for what the Knicks will be able to do before the trade deadline, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Anthony stated, “I don’t know man, I don’t know who’s tradeable, who’s on the block. Not many people that I think can come right now in February and change our whole season around. This is a difficult time.”
- Anthony takes losing extremely hard, and Al Iannazzone of Newsday wonders if the team can do enough by the trade deadline to give him a reason to re-sign. Whatever the Knicks do will likely be to help a playoff run this season and put them in position to make future moves. But if the team can’t unload the big salaries of Amar’e Stoudemire, Tyson Chandler and Andrea Bargnani, who are all signed through 2014/2015, then it won’t matter if ‘Melo takes a pay cut next season. They would have to hope he would be willing to hang in until 2015, when Rajon Rondo, Kevin Love and LaMarcus Aldridge can become free agents.
- Knicks great Walt Frazier thinks Anthony will stay with the Knicks, writes Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. Frazier stated, “Why would Melo leave New York? Where would he go? Where would he go to reach the same fame and acclaim that he’s reached here?” Frazier also mentioned that Anthony was a good businessman, and since the Knicks can pay him the most, it makes sense for ‘Melo to stay in New York.
- If ‘Melo wants to take less money, then he should do it for a team that knows what it is doing, writes Mike Lupica of The New York Daily News. Lupica believes that if Anthony is serious about winning, he should take a pay cut to go to a team with a more competent front office.
Odds & Ends: Silver, Warriors, Lakers
New NBA commissioner Adam Silver gave his first official State of the Union address this evening. He touched on a number of different topics, and you can check out the full range of them in this article by Ben Golliver of SI.com. Silver spoke on the subject of tanking, which in light of this season’s talented draft class, has been a prime source of discussion around the league. Silver stated, “There’s absolutely no evidence that any team in the NBA has ever lost a single game, or certainly in any time that I’ve been in the league, on purpose.” Silver also addressed the NBPA’s lack of an executive director. He said, “I would love to have a partner across the table from me that had the backing of the entire Players Association and with whom we could do business with.” The commissioner also stated that he would like to alter the current “one-and-done” system that requires players to be at least one year removed from high school before they are draft eligible. His goal would be to change the rule and require incoming players to be at least 20 years old.
More from around the league:
- Former D-League coach Eric Musselman stressed the importance of that league for helping to prepare players for the pros, and runs down a number of the league’s success stories who made an impact in the NBA in this article from Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside.
- The Warriors still seem to be trying to put some sort of deal together before next Thursday, tweets Steve Kyler of Baskeball Insiders. There have been reports that Golden State is seeking depth at the point guard position.
- A group of supporters for the new Kings arena went to court with Sacramento city officials on Friday to fight back against the lawsuit demanding a public vote on the proposed project. Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee has the full story.
- Mark Heisler of The Orange County Register takes a look at how Kobe Bryant‘s extension came about, as well as the long-term impact it will have on the Lakers future cap flexibility.
Charlie Adams contributed to this post.
Eastern Notes: Sixers, Magic, Grant
Former Cavs GM Chris Grant has been taking a lot of heat for the state of the franchise. The team has underachieved and not all of his moves worked out, but Grant did a much better job than he’s getting credit for, writes Jason Lloyd of The Akron Beacon Journal. Grant walked into one of the worst situations in professional sports, opines Lloyd. Shortly after he was named GM, LeBron James departed and the rest of the roster was in shambles. The team had no pick in that summer’s draft and no players of real value left to trade away and begin the rebuilding process. According to Lloyd, Grant restocked an organization bereft of young talent and future draft picks and he never lost a trade. Grant isn’t employed anymore because the Cavs played terribly for most of this season given the preseason expectations, but those expectations existed thanks to the remarkable work he did for the past three years.
More from around the east:
- The Sixers have been rumored to be actively shopping Evan Turner, Thaddeus Young, and Spencer Hawes. The team isn’t expected to retain Turner and Hawes past this summer, and would like to get something in return for them. Tom Moore of The Bucks County Courier Times examines how likely GM Sam Hinkie is to make a trade before Thursday’s deadline.
- Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com has a different opinion on the possibility of the Sixers moving Turner. He tweeted that Turner wasn’t very likely to be moved by the deadline. The team is trying to get a first-round pick for him, and the Sixers are going to have trouble wrangling one in a trade.
- The Magic aren’t expected to be players at the trade deadline, tweets Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. Kyler says they will listen to offers, but aren’t pushing to make any deals.
- Kyler also tweets that Arron Afflalo isn’t likely to be going anywhere. The Magic view him as a piece that fits their big picture plan, and his age and reasonable contract are a plus. Afflalo is averaging 19.4 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.7 APG, in 36.5 MPG. Chuck Myron had profiled him as a trade candidate earlier this month.
Miller Doesn’t Want To Return To Nuggets
Despite reports that Andre Miller worked out for the Nuggets this week, it doesn’t appear that the embattled guard will be returning to the team anytime soon, writes Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. The Nuggets were reportedly attempting to bring back the veteran but the relationship is beyond repair, according to Spears’ source. “The vibe is delusional. It’s a burned bridge. No reconciliation. He’s waiting by the door with his bag already packed. The relationship is irreparable. Under no circumstances does he want to come back to Denver“, the source said. Spears says that Miller hasn’t spoken publicly about the situation out of good will.
Spears also writes that coach Brian Shaw also has no interest in bringing back Miller and the two have not spoken with one another about a possible return. Miller was suspended for two games back in January for yelling at Shaw during a game. Miller has been working out daily at the Nuggets practice facility, but mostly at night, and away from the team. Nuggets GM Tim Connelly has attended some of those workouts, according to Spears.
There have been rumors of potential suitors for Miller, but nothing has materialized yet. The Nuggets may find it difficult to get any value for Miller now, especially if other teams are aware that they have to move the veteran. Last month, Chuck Myron took a look at Miller as a trade candidate. In 30 games this season, Miller has averaged 5.9 PPG, 2.4 RPG, and 3.3 APG.
White, Roberts Finalists For Union Chief
SATURDAY, 6:52pm: No one was officially elected today as NBPA executive director today despite the NBPA executive committee having deliberated for almost three hours. It appears though, the search is down to two finalists: White, and Michele Roberts, an attorney from Washington D.C., tweets Howard Beck of Bleacher Report. No timetable has been set for when someone will be appointed, but certain powerful agents have been frustrated with the search, writes Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. According to Berger, multiple influential agents say they have candidates in mind who have not been considered. At least one player involved in the search believes the it should be started over and a new list of candidates should be developed, to be voted on at the NBPA’s summer meeting.
FRIDAY, 10:02am: Screen Actors Guild executive director David White is the front runner to take the same job with the National Basketball Players Association, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Union president Chris Paul and the NBPA’s executive committee have already interviewed White, though Wojnarowski hears no formal vote on whether to hire him will take place among union membership this weekend.
White first joined the actors union in 2002, and he became the group’s executive director in 2009. He signed a three-year extension in 2012, so it’s unclear what the players union will have to do to get him out of his contract.
The NBPA has been without an executive director since the All-Star break last year, when longtime chief Billy Hunter was let go amid controversy. Attorney Ron Klempner is serving in an interim capacity. Steve Mills was at one point the favorite for the job before he became Knicks GM, and other rumored candidates have included Isiah Thomas and current NHL and former baseball union head Don Fehr, though none of those three appear to be in the running now.
Eddie Scarito contributed to this post.
Dan Gilbert On Future Of Cavs
It’s been a tumultuous season in Cleveland. The team hasn’t lived up to expectations by posting a 20-33 record. The Andrew Bynum experiment was a failure. The team has had chemistry issues. The big trade for Luol Deng hasn’t paid off the way they hoped, and their first-overall draft pick Anthony Bennett is averaging 3.8 PPG. All these issues resulted in the firing of GM Chris Grant two weeks ago, and has coach Mike Brown on the hot seat. Things might be starting to look up for the team, as they entered the break riding a four-game win streak, and the players’ outlook seems to be improving. Team owner Dan Gilbert recently sat down with Jason Lloyd of The Akron Beacon Journal. The whole interview is worth a look, but here are some of the highlights from the piece:
On why the season has been such a disappointment:
“Up until the last week and maybe the road trip before that, the season overall has not hit our expectations. It’s hard to pinpoint the reason. We needed to figure out who we are. Who we are as a team and as a franchise and make sure we’re all headed in the same direction. I think it has taken a little bit longer to gel from a chemistry standpoint. Some of that is non-tangible, but to me not just basketball but all organizations, there has to be a chemistry where people trust each other, believe in each other from the front office to the coaching staff to the players. There was a lot of static this year. A lot of that is expected as normal growing pains from a young team, but I think there was more than people expected.”
On if he regrets saying the team wouldn’t be back in the lottery:
“I think that was in response to questions. Obviously when a reporter asks you a question when you’ve been at the lottery three years in a row, I don’t think it shows much confidence to your fan base or anything that you’re not going to feel pretty good about not being there for the fourth year in a row. We didn’t go pump our hands and say, ‘We’re winning the NBA championship this year!’ I think it’s a good goal to say we’re going to make the playoffs. No one said make the playoffs, do or die. I think it’s a reasonable goal, so no, I don’t regret it.”
On why it’s important to make the playoffs this year, in spite of what is deemed to be such a strong draft:
“It appears to be a rich class at the top, but nobody knows for sure. It’s not just being in the lottery. Most likely you’re going to have to be among the worst five to seven teams in the league to have a significant chance. We didn’t view it as, ‘You’re either going to get one of the top five guys or be in the playoffs.’ We didn’t think we’d be anywhere near the worst five to seven teams, so we think it’s a good goal to make the playoffs. Plus for these young guys, it’s going to be an important step to take to feel the organization is on the right path to feel confident about where we’re going and they’re going.”
On what he’s looking for in his next GM:
“We’re looking for somebody besides the basketball knowledge, who understands the human equation. Understands and feels the importance of culture and chemistry and connectivity and openness, is open to ideas from anywhere and anyone, from all places, and can connect with people and can understand how important it is. Someone who will turn over every possible stone and be open to every possible innovation, creativity, idea from anywhere to give us that edge that we’ll need.”
On if their four-game winning streak has changed their trade deadline approach:
“It’s hard to know for sure because you can’t live it two different ways. I don’t know if we’d lost four more what we’d be thinking now. Everyone thinks there’s long periods of time to think about the trade deadline, but you really don’t have that. Things are so fluid and changing and those other teams don’t show their hands until a day or two before. You can only have as good of a trade as your options or opportunities.”
On how important it is to re-sign Deng:
“We love Luol for a lot of reasons, which everybody knows. Besides the kind of player he is, the kind of person he is and the kind of leader he is by example. But you can’t make these decisions in a vacuum. You have to look at all the pieces and see where you’re going to be.”
Northwest Notes: Miller, McGee, Love
The Nuggets have been actively seeking a trade partner that would take on Andre Miller but haven’t been able to garner much interest. The team seems to be starting to accept there isn’t a market for the veteran guard and might consider retaining him, reports Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. Miller worked out for Denver this week after sitting since December 30th. The Kings and Timberwolves were said to have interest in Miller, but apparently not enough to get a deal done. Here’s more on Denver and the Northwest Division:
- JaVale McGee will decide by March 1st if he’ll be healthy enough to play for the Nuggets this season, reports Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post. McGee has been inactive since November, and Denver’s frontcourt could definitely benefit from his return. Offseason signee J.J. Hickson has been playing major minutes at center but is a bit undersized at 6’9.
- Kevin Love is affecting the way teams approach the trade deadline this year, according to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated (Twitter link). Teams that think they can pry Love away from the Timberwolves in the summer of 2015 are trying to leave themselves the cap flexibility that will be required to make such a move.
- Another tweet from Mannix pegs Love as the “crown jewel” of his expected free agency class, even among players such as the Blazers’ LaMarcus Aldridge.
Atlantic Rumors: ‘Melo, Woodson, Knicks, Sixers
Carmelo Anthony assured reporters that both he and Mike Woodson would be present at the Knicks’ Monday morning’s practice after the All-Star break, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post. Woodson has been on the hot seat seemingly all season, and trade rumors involving Anthony have started circulating in recent months. For the time being, it looks like both Woodson and Anthony will remain in New York. Here’s more on the Knicks and the Atlantic Divsion:
- The Knicks roster looks to be set for now, as Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders reports (via Twitter) that no trades appear imminent in New York.
- By contrast, the Sixers are looking for potential deals, passes along Kyler (via Twitter). We heard last Tuesday that Philly was set to be “super active” in the days leading up to the trade deadline.
- Strong seasons by Jared Sullinger and Kelly Olynyk prove that the Celtics are able to make the most out of their drafts, regardless of the position they’re picking from, writes Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. Sullinger was taken with the 21st pick in 2012, and Olynyk was taken 13th overall last summer.
Odds & Ends: Beaubois, Jordan, Paul
Chris Paul told reporters at All-Star Weekend that he isn’t sure if he would have stayed with New Orleans or left as a free agent had he not been traded to the Clippers in 2011, reports Ken Berger of CBS Sports. “I can’t answer that because I don’t know,” Paul said. “It’s crazy; what was that, three years ago? It’s almost scary to think how much smarter I am now than I was then. That’s one of those that I don’t know.” Here are some more notes to pass along:
- Rodrigue Beaubois will work out for the Grizzlies and Wizards late next week, a league source tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. The four-year veteran point guard is still just 25 years old, but he has struggled to live up to the high expectations many had for the 6’2″ speedster. Beaubois recently recovered from a third surgery to his left hand, a procedure that has kept him from signing anywhere as a free agent so far this season.
- Jerome Jordan is leaving the Italian league’s Virtus Bologna to join the Lebanese pro league, according to Il Corriere di Bologna (translation via Emiliano Carchia of Sportando). The 7-footer spent his lone NBA season with the Knicks in 2011/12.
- St. John’s has multiple pros on the roster this year, scouts tell Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv, but none of them should come out for the upcoming draft. Zagoria runs down why the scouts think Rysheed Jordan, JaKarr Sampson, Chris Obekpa and D’Angelo Harrison, would all be best served by spending at least another year in college.