Cleveland Cavaliers Blog – Page 67 – NBA Blog

Mike Brown discusses Lakers media coverage vs Cavs media coverage

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Mike Brown: “I thought I got better with the media as the year went along. Initially, that was a shock to me, in terms of understanding why and how everything can be such a big deal here. In Cleveland, I experienced it a little bit because LeBron is a guy that drew the media’s attention on a national level, but really the media was only concerned about him, and him only, (and only) sometimes if we won or lost.

The media was not as big a deal for me when I was in Cleveland because they didn’t cover, or they weren’t as interested in the other guys like they are here. From 1 through 15. You could be the 14th player on the team, and if there’s a small thing going on, on the court or off the court, it can turn into a media frenzy. So that was an adjustment that I had to make. Just understanding that, feeling that, accepting it, dealing with it, throughout the course of the year.

In terms of what I can do?

Shoot, I always look back and say I could have or should have tried this offensively. Defensively, yes, there are things that yeah, I could have tried this defensively, but I think at the end of the day all of that is just about coaching. No matter where I am, whether it’s here with the Lakers or Cleveland or anyplace else, that’s how you get better. You second guess yourself, you question the things that you did at times, and think through them again in order to have a better feel as to whether you should continue down a path or change it up.

— Reported by Brian Kamenetzky of ESPN Los Angeles

Cleveland Cavaliers name Koby Altman Pro Personnel Manager

The Cleveland Cavaliers have named Koby Altman Pro Personnel Manager, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

In his role as Pro Personnel Manager, Altman will coordinate the team’s domestic professional scouting efforts and will assist General Manager Chris Grant and Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin with other player personnel related matters.

Altman, 29, joins the Cavaliers from Columbia University, where he served as an assistant coach for the past two seasons, while also leading Columbia’s developmental basketball program.

In addition to his duties at Columbia over the past two seasons, Altman has extensive experience with the USA Basketball program. In the summer of 2010, he served as the Operations Manager for USA Basketball’s Under-17 team at the inaugural FIBA Under-17 World Championship in Hamburg, Germany. That 17-and-under squad won the first gold medal to ever be awarded for that age group and featured three players selected among the top 10 in the 2012 NBA Draft. In 2009, he assisted Team USA’s 19-and-under team in the FIBA Under-19 World Championship in Auckland, New Zealand. That squad also won the gold, its first in that age group since 1991.

Prior to joining Columbia, Altman spent the 2009-10 season at Southern Illinois as a graduate assistant after earning his master’s degree in sport management at UMASS-Amherst, where he also coached for two seasons and helped guide the team to a 48-11 record. He played collegiately at Middlebury College, where he was a three-year starter at point guard.

Cavaliers sign C.J. Miles

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard/forward C.J. Miles to a contract, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

“C.J. brings solid NBA experience to the team, yet is still just entering his prime at 25,” said General Manager Chris Grant. “His ability to play multiple positions adds depth and flexibility to our roster.”

Miles, 25, averaged 9.1 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 20.5 minutes per game in 56 games (14 starts) for the Utah Jazz last season. He scored a season-high 27 points on 10-16 (.625) shooting in 27 minutes off the bench against Houston on Feb. 29th and has a career high of 40 points, which he scored on Mar. 16th, 2011 against Minnesota.

The 6-foot-6, 222-pound Miles was drafted out of Skyline High School in Dallas, Texas by the Jazz with the fourth pick of the second round (34th overall pick) of the 2005 NBA Draft and has played all seven seasons of his NBA career with Utah. He has career averages of 8.4 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 19.3 minutes in 389 games (159 starts).

C.J. Miles likely joining the Cavs

Unrestricted free agent small forward C.J. Miles has agreed to terms with the Cleveland Cavaliers, a league source told The Salt Lake Tribune on Friday.

Miles is expected to sign a two-year deal with Cleveland and compete for a starting spot during the 2012-13 season.

Miles, 25, drew interest from several teams during free agency, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas, Milwaukee and Houston. His growing bond with Cavaliers coach Byron Scott and the opportunity Cleveland presented him heavily factored into his decision.

“He’s so happy,” the source said.

— Reported by Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune Blog

Jon Diebler continues playing in Turkey

Former Ohio State guard Jon Diebler will play a second season in Europe after signing today with Pinar Karsiyaka, a team in the Aegean Sea town of Izmir, Turkey. His agent, Lance Young, confirmed the signing.

Diebler, taken by the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round of the 2011 NBA draft, played last season in Greece. He played with the Blazers’ entry in the Las Vegas Summer League this month, but last week his negotiating rights were traded to the Houston Rockets as part of a three-team deal also involving Boston.

Young said the Rockets encouraged Diebler to play overseas again this season because they are well-stocked with players on the wing.

— Reported by Bob Baptist of the Columbus Dispatch

Alonzo Gee hopes to stay with Cavs

The free-agent forward, in town for one of the Cavs’ basketball camps put on by the National Basketball Academy, smiled. Although he’s not currently under contract with the team, he made it clear where he’d like to be.

“I want to be in Cleveland,” he said. “This is where I want to be. I love the coaches and my teammates. This is where I want to be.”

Although he remains unsigned, Gee said the uncertainty during this summer has not been difficult.

— Reported by Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer

Cavs rookie Dion Waiters out of shape at summer league

As you read this, remember that I didn’t favor the Cavs selecting Dion Waiters at No. 4.

But I also know it’s premature to say this was a lousy pick because Waiters played poorly in three summer-league games, averaging 12.3 points but shooting only 30 percent from the field.

The big problem was Waiters showed up at least 10 pounds overweight and out of shape.

Smart? Nope.

But the message should be clear: Waiters needs to shape up physically and mentally. He has the arrogance you find in some East Coast playground legends. Listening to Dion Waiters, you know that he thinks Dion Waiters is the greatest player he’s ever seen.

— Reported by Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer

Ryan Hollins drawing interest from Hornets

The New Orleans Hornets have expressed interest in unrestricted free agent center Ryan Hollins, a 7-footer who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics last season, sources confirmed Tuesday.

The Hornets do not have a true center on their roster although they acquired 14-year veteran Brad Miller in a trade last week from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Miller is not expected to be on Hornets’ active roster this upcoming season because he plans to retire.

— Reported by John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune

Jonny Flynn works out for Cavaliers

Free-agent point guard Jonny Flynn worked out with for the Cavaliers on Monday, and there remains strong interest on both sides. Flynn has battled hip injuries in the past, but is healthy now and making a tour of NBA camps.

He has already worked out for the Cavs, Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks and has more teams on the schedule. He isn’t close to making a decision, according to a source close to Flynn.

The Cavs have held internal debates about whether or not it’s necessary to sign another point guard. Kyrie Irving and Donald Sloan are the only pure point guards on the roster, and Sloan is on a non-guaranteed contract.

Dion Waiters can certainly run the offense and Daniel Gibson, when healthy, can handle the point guard role in an emergency. But coach Byron Scott said he’d feel more comfortable with another true point guard, particularly in case Irving gets injured again.

— Reported by Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal

Cavaliers sign rookies Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed 2012 NBA Draft picks, guard Dion Waiters (Syracuse) and forward/center Tyler Zeller (North Carolina), to contracts, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Players selected in the first round of the NBA Draft are guaranteed to receive a contact from the team. So, this is standard, and expected.

Waiters, 20, was selected by the Cavs with the fourth overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. Zeller, 22, was drafted 17th overall by the Dallas Mavericks and his draft rights were acquired by the Cavs in a draft night trade.