Cavs and David Griffin to part ways after contract
June 19, 2017The Tribe is on a mission: Between Innings
June 20, 2017Happy Tuesday, WFNY!
For the second week in a row, though, it’s not really all that happy from the perspective of fans of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Last week, of course, we were coming off the Game 5 loss to the Golden State Warriors which ended the Cavaliers’ reign as defending NBA Champions.
This week, we are stunningly forced to come to terms with the fact that David Griffin is no longer the GM of the Cavs. Monday started as something of a fun day of reflection for Cavs fans. It was the one year anniversary of the Cavaliers’ first NBA Championship and the city of Cleveland’s first title since 1964. The feels were strong as services like Timehop and Facebook’s “On This Day” feature reminded us of all our celebratory posts.
Then, as the day progressed, we found out that Griff was working on putting together a multi-team trade that would land Jimmy Butler in Cleveland. I can’t project if this would have been a good thing or not without knowing what the Cavaliers would have to give up, but Butler would be an ideal fit on a team that is trying to overcome the Golden State Warriors. There was tangible excitement among Cavs fans as we buckled down to see how Griff was going to improve the team.
Suddenly, and seemingly out of nowhere, word came down Monday night that Griff was out. And just like that, the rug was completely pulled out from under Cavs fans’ feet. Whereas earlier in the day everyone was filled with pride, hope, and optimism, the evening brought nothing but doubt, questions, and doom. Needless to say, Cavs fans were not happy about losing Griff as the guiding hand of this franchise.
Not only are Cavs fans unsure about this move, but even LeBron James voiced some public displeasure with the move with this tweet:
If no one appreciated you Griff I did, and hopefully all the people of Cleveland! Thanks for what u did for the team for 3 yrs! We got us 1🏆
— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 20, 2017
LeBron may as well have put the words “NO ONE” in all caps, bold, italicized font. By “no one”, he clearly means Dan Gilbert. And thus, let the “LeBron James is leaving Cleveland again” rumors that were starting to warm up anyway will now be on fire. Be prepared for a long year of rumors, subtweets, body language experts, and assumptions.
I went to bed angry last night. I was and still am pretty upset about Dan Gilbert not being able to work things out with Griff. I trusted Griff’s vision and leadership. I had confidence that Griff would make moves to improve the Cavaliers this year, and should LeBron leave after next season, I trusted Griff to guide the Cavaliers to whatever the next phase would be. It felt like the Cavaliers were in good hands, and that’s an invaluable quality in the volatility of the NBA.
Having slept on all this and having more time to think about it all, though, I do think there are actually plausible scenarios where this is all for the best. Look, until someone reports what the actual difference in vision was between Gilbert and Griff, we’re all just speculating about what actually happened. While I don’t think letting Griffin walk was the right move, it’s possible that there was a fundamental flaw with his plan that Gilbert wasn’t willing to go through.
I could also listen to arguments that there were some real issues with some of the moves Griffin made. Trading two first-round picks for Timofey Mozgov, who became unplayable and then walked after a season and a half wasn’t ideal (it was a necessary move for that season at that time, of course, but it did affect the long-term ability to keep building around LeBron). The Channing Frye acquisition seems great on paper. He’s great for floor spacing, has shot lights out with the Cavaliers, and has had some big games in the playoffs. But he’s also unplayable in the Finals against the Warriors. Griffin left the Cavaliers without a backup PG to Kyrie Irving to start this season and Deron Williams never panned out as the eventual backup. The Cavaliers became a very one-dimensional team this season and in the playoffs, particularly against the Warriors, it left Ty Lue without a lot of options to adjust and to deal with what the Warriors were doing on offense.
Those are certainly all fair issues. But I look at the creativity of Griff’s process. I look at the leadership he displayed and the loyalty he earned from those who worked under him. I look at the level of respect he commanded across the league, especially while working for one of the least respected owners. Those things matter to me. I feel that Griff is one of the best GMs in the NBA and one of the best GMs in the history of Cleveland sports. It’s a bummer that he’s no longer with the franchise.
The bottom line is, it’s just hard to feel good and/or confident about what is happening. I don’t think LeBron James will leave because David Griffin isn’t there anymore. LeBron thinks much bigger picture than that. But if the replacement isn’t able to provide stability and improve the roster immediately, LeBron isn’t going to give the franchise the benefit of the doubt. LeBron doesn’t owe Dan Gilbert anything. LeBron is going to do what he wants. This move threw some uncertainty into the mix, and that’s a big part of the reason Cavs fans are so upset by this.
Gilbert put his neck on the line with this move. When Griff fired David Blatt two years ago, it was Griff’s neck on the line. If the team faltered under Ty Lue, it would reflect back on Griff and probably would have cost him his job immediately. Now, it’s Gilbert’s reputation (or what’s left of it) on the line. If the Cavs fall into disarray and make bonehead moves or panic moves and everything falls apart, it will all come back to this one decision. And that is on Dan Gilbert.
Dan Gilbert is the owner who ended the Cleveland Championship curse. LeBron James deserves the most credit for that. David Griffin deserves a ton of credit for it. All the players deserve credit. And yes, Gilbert deserves credit for stepping up to the plate and spending without blinking his eye. For that, I’ll be forever thankful. But the lack of respect Gilbert seems to show to those around and within the organization and the lack of stability that Gilbert seems to crave is all wearing thin.
As a fan, I’m trying to stay somewhat hopeful. Losing Griff does not mean the Cavs won’t be back in the Finals this year. It doesn’t mean the team can’t improve. It doesn’t mean LeBron is automatically gone. As long as the Cavs have LeBron, Kyrie, and Kevin Love (or whoever they end up trading Love for), they’re going to be really good, really fun to watch, and a serious Championship contender. It’s merely the uncertainty and the unnecessary drama of it all that is bothersome.
So I really just want to end this with one more ‘thank you’. Last week, I thanked the Cavaliers for an incredible season and a great ride. This morning, I want to thank Griff for the job he did with the Cavaliers. He will forever be The Architect, a title he doesn’t like out of humility but a title he deserves. He delivered the Cavaliers the players who won the franchise its first ever NBA Championship and for that he will always be something of an unlikely hero to all of us. So thank you Griff, and good luck on your next step wherever that may be.
74 Comments
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RIP
respect
The Assassin!
Since we don’t know anything about the Gilbert/Griffin impasse, it doesn’t make any sense to start pointing fingers. Let’s get some facts first.
Forgive me for not using Ambrose yesterday?
we’re straight … for now. Don’t think I’m not monitoring. This thing is now bigger than all of us.
Anyone who believes Griffin was actually working on these blockbuster deals (For P. George or Butler) in the past week or that Griff’s fate wasn’t sealed much before is not paying attention to their sensibilities.
I thought he did a great job with what he had to work with–especially in light of sports media silliness and rumors and making pressure decisions…but he has been dead man walking.
Griff to LA
Time to bring in Sam Hinkie… remember him? The guy that got more votes for GMotY than Griff? UPGRADE!!!
No.
I know one person around here that would be thrilled with that.
Do you see that person in a mirror?
No.
Does he have glasses? Facial hair? Bald? https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9c7975ea4718c14d7ec837b968a5cf5e636698dcd60885478d89c1bb913ce541.gif
What if in one week it comes out Griffin demanded a pile of dead puppies at his golden altar every week…or if he wanted to go elsewhere and work in another city? See, I want the right to outrage now without the info and reserve my right to retract my opinion later…ok?
Him and G_O are often found exchanging pleasantries.
To form a superteam with LeBron and Lonzo Ball.
Yes.
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We haven’t the time for facts. The pointing of fingers must commence!!
…and Lonzo
***Also, how was Carmelo ever a 97? Great job kids, everyone gets an A+!!***
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It might have been true that he was a dead man walking (seems plausible) but there are reports that as of 6pm last night, he was still taking calls about those trades.
Don’t let Gilbert letting his GM and assistant GM walk without replacements in the midst of trade negotiations distract you from the fact that Gilbert also profited off of the sub-prime mortgage crisis that nearly sent us into a recession.
Basically, Dan Gilbert is a horrible person and quite possibly a worse owner.
Rocket GM. Why wait for an organization to use diligence to build a championship team… do it now!
Wait a sec… you’re not saying *I* would see this person in a mirror, are you?
No.
Ok we are getting somewhere (I think?). Last year. Gilbert and Griffin couldnt come to an agreement post championship and they go the entire season as defending champs…so it’s likely there was some discord prior to this year’s finals. If we would have won it might have been hard to not resign him. Who knows?
Ok so then do you really think that a dead man walking was really allowed to make major deals in his final days? Why would you let him do That? Seriously what would be the theory…hey Griffin you are dead unless you can pull off a blockbuster trade for either George or Butler this week! Doesn’t make sense.
No Nuance Tuesday!
Griffin made some great deals and knew the pulse of the team. I hope Gilbert knows what he’s doing.
Was it really that stunning? Outsider looking in, but any time a coach or front office person goes into the last year of a contract – let alone nearly all the way to through it – you kind of know how it’s going to end.
Dan Gilbert was the first owner since 1964 to bring Cleveland a championship. So all is forgiven about all that stuff about him wrecking the US economy and being mean and big jerk etc etc right?
(big wigs, can we please make the above a “featured comment”?)
I am legitimately stumped.
DOJ and HUD charge that Quicken Loans encouraged it employs to avoid compliance on FHA-insured loans. The trial is set to begin in April of 2019. By that time, we might be in the midst of a second burst housing bubble, as Quicken Loans is currently the largest participant in the FHA program.
Which makes me realize that Larry Dolan is the only Cleveland sports owner not involved in a federal investigation.
A pretty good article from the Times on Mr. Gilbert and Quicken: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/21/business/dealbook/quicken-loans-dan-gilbert-mortgage-lender.html
Damn straight. At least our benevolent oligarch brought us a championship.
Just a stunningly bad move on Gilbert’s part from the outside looking in. It is fair to withhold any final judgement until some details present themselves, but on its face, this just doesn’t make sense. Maybe his every move wasn’t a slam dunk success, but the creativity Griff showed in turning scraps into meaningful building blocks was like nothing I can recall. Maybe Gilbert wasn’t looking forward to spending even more of his money knowing that nothing guarantees us a way through the Dubs for the foreseeable future. Maybe Griff was asking for a truckload of cash for himself out of line with what other GMs are getting these days. I just have a tough time sitting here as a guy who had a knack for working under tight circumstances is allowed to hit the road and the current top contender to replace him is someone with zero experience in the gig.
Just win baby.
Also important not to let all this distract us from the fact that the Warriors blew a 3-1 lead in the 2016 NBA Finals.
(Someone had to do it)
The Soviet State Planning Committee thought Hinkie’s rebuild would take too long.
He did not make any deals. Cannot stop him from taking or making calls.
It was the Russians.
Facts? Sounds like nerd talk to me.
Meh, I think that’s an NBA thing. Keep yourself in a position to still kick the can down the road until you can get that superstar. The Celtics are doing it too.
I’m not going to defend Hinkie much beyond that I think it is way underestimated just how much of a mess the Sixers were at the time he took over.
My friend: There was never anyone there. He was dead the whole time like Sixth Sense. He was the man in the house of mirrors in GOT. A ghost. A phantom. A mystery that didn’t have any answers. You, my friend, feel for a classic vague ruse. And now we’re going to see a Mike Brown meme. Wait for it…
There’s really only one person for this job. He checks all of the Dan Gilbert boxes.
Detroit Pistons ties? CHECK
Front office experience? CHECK
Willingness to treat everyone around him like crap? CHECK
Ladies and Gentlemen, your new Cleveland Cavaliers GM…
ISIAH THOMAS.
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I didn’t know the little fella dabbled in the Celtics front office. And come to think of it… I can’t recall him ever playing with the Pistons.
Oh well, at least it addresses our backup point guard dilemma
So G_O doesn’t actually exist?
Nearly?