Blatt on the hot-seat? Sources hint divide between coach and team

[yeaaaman]

Interesting. How long do you guys see him lasting or is this going to be blown over and smoothed out with some wins? It wouldn't look good to get rid of a first year coach on what was said to be "not an easy process" or something like that by Lebron.


There is a growing level of worry within the Cleveland Cavaliers' organization about first-year coach David Blatt and his ability to reach this team, according to league sources.

Sources told ESPN.com that there is rising concern in team circles about the level of response Blatt is getting on the floor, with Blatt himself acknowledging that the Cavaliers "lost our energy and we lost our competitiveness" in Sunday night's embarrassing home loss to Detroit.

The Cavs would naturally prefer not to be forced into making an evaluation of their new coach just 30 games into Blatt's NBA career, cognizant of the fact that the job has quickly evolved into a much different job -- after LeBron James stunningly decided in July to return to his home-state team in free agency -- than it was when Blatt was hired away from Israeli power Maccabi Tel-Aviv in June with no NBA experience.

But the Cavs' effort level, especially defensively, is eroding noticeably, raising the volume on questions about just how much the locker room is listening to the 55-year-old Boston native, who has enjoyed tremendous success internationally but still began this season as a relative unknown to NBA players...

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/12092236/divide-exists-cleveland-cavaliers-players-coach-david-blatt-sources

[Haymaker]

Cavs should stay put. They have a winning record. It's not gonna be easy in the first season. They need to gel and create an identity and it takes time.

[PJR]

Bran bout to fire Blatt

[plowking]

Bron is a c*nt who wants things his own way, and for the people around him to be the ones he chooses. There is a damn good reason he left Miami and went back to Cleveland, and it is because they let him do whatever the hell he wants. This dude won a few championships and figures he can go back to doing what he was doing in Cleveland prior, running the show, calling all the shots and win. Hope the Cavs stay put and don't give in, they'll be better off for it. Maybe Bron will finally realize his way isn't the way and you need great management and a great team off the court to put it together too. Or better yet, he complains and comes back to Miami, because he figures he was winning there, so why not. :)

[L.Kizzle]

If they're hovering around .500 by the middle of next month, he goes.

[STATUTORY]

we all know that Bran wanted out of Heat cause Pat didn't allow him and his cronies to run the organization the way they did at cleveland. Looks like he's back to his old act

already sabotaged the orgs future by trading wiggins for Love.

[BigTicket]

If they're hovering around .500 by the middle of next month, he goes.

Obviously I hope not, but it could happen since the Cavs have a tough stretch coming up, with 8 of the next 12 games against playoff teams, including a 5 game western conference road trip.

[L.Kizzle]

Obviously I hope not, but it could happen since the Cavs have a tough stretch coming up, with 8 of the next 12 games against playoff teams, including a 5 game western conference road trip.
Especially if they stay at the 5th spot, or the Heat make a move once Bosh gets back.

It's 25 games until the All-Star break. If they go 15-10, they'd still be 33-22 right at the All-Star break.

Is that good enough?

[DMAVS41]

Lebron...just hilarious...Love and Kyrie in their primes...and the coach is on the hot seat less than half a season in...in year 1

Playing in a joke conference. Lebron leadership?

:roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

[HOoopCityJones]

Feel sorry for Blatt.

He could've been coaching budding stars in Bennett and Wiggins.

[Milbuck]

https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/status/549615890250346497

Zach Lowe
‏@ZachLowe_NBA

Just be warned: Kevin Love is almost surely next on the Cavs scapegoat flow chart. The rumblings are coming.

http://i.imgur.com/mmtZBTb.png

[HOoopCityJones]

Next? They started on Love the moment the Cavs started to struggle.

[chocolatethunder]

Lebron...just hilarious...Love and Kyrie in their primes...and the coach is on the hot seat less than half a season in...in year 1

Playing in a joke conference. Lebron leadership?

:roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
I'm no Lebron fan but if you think that Kyrie Irving plays winning basketball then you must be blind.

[D-Wait]

Feel sorry for Blatt.

He could've been coaching budding stars in Bennett and Wiggins.
:kobe:

[Heavincent]

Their defensive isn't garbage because a lack of effort, it's garbage because most of the players are inherently bad defenders. You want Kevin Love and Tristian Thompson to be rim protectors all of the sudden? Or Kyrie Irvng to channel his inner Gary Payton? :roll:

But yeah, lets just blame the coach even though they have clear holes in the roster that many people (including myself) pointed out before the season started.

[niko]

I saw the other day him running offense through Matrix and though, this guy might be in over his head. Nothing worse than a coach who is a constant tinkerer giving you terrible combinations all over.

[Rose'sACL]

I saw the other day him running offense through Matrix and though, this guy might be in over his head. Nothing worse than a coach who is a constant tinkerer giving you terrible combinations all over.
blatt is not the problem. lebron is. would knicks accept a lebron for melo trade? cavs would be lucky to get rid of him and his huge contract.

[HOoopCityJones]

I saw the other day him running offense through Matrix and though, this guy might be in over his head. Nothing worse than a coach who is a constant tinkerer giving you terrible combinations all over.

He reminds me of D'antoni in that respect.

[Milbuck]

Their defensive isn't garbage because a lack of effort, it's garbage because most of the players are inherently bad defenders. You want Kevin Love and Tristian Thompson to be rim protectors all of the sudden? Or Kyrie Irvng to channel his inner Gary Payton? :roll:

But yeah, lets just blame the coach even though they have clear holes in the roster that many people (including myself) pointed out before the season started.
Agreed, been saying this for a while..the team is just fundamentally flawed in terms of roster construction. No amount of "effort and coaching" can turn that frontline into a respectable defensive front line, and with the perimeter defense not exactly great either..and Lebron playing the dual role of Lecoast and Ledecline..they're just in no position to be good defensively. They're going to have serious trouble in series against teams like healthy Chicago, and San Antonio/Memphis if they make it there, hell if Scott Brooks gets his head out his ass, Adams and Ibaka would kill them on good nights.

I don't know what Minnesota was asking for him..but Cleveland really should've pushed for Gorgui Dieng in that Love trade.

[HurricaneKid]

LeBron the GM has been godawful. And he has all but refused to run Blatt's offense as a player within that offense.

Is that Blatt's fault? How could it be?

[FLDFSU]

For the life of me I cannot understand why anyone gives a funk about a team that for the better part of the last 1/2 decade is the worst in the NBA.

This team won 33 games last year in the worst conference of all time, and now suddenly they are supposed to be contenders? Contenders for what? Not getting swept out of the first round?

Anybody with some common sense knew this team, as currently constructed, would not be close to the best team in the NBA over the course of the regular season. Could they get hot and surprise some people in the playoffs? Maybe. But unlikely.

The fact that they are above .500 this late in the season should be considered an absolute success. Anybody who thought otherwise is clearly smoking crack.

[chocolatethunder]

Irving is the problem. Replace him with any PG who plays good D and looks to get his teammates involved and they would be winning a lot more.

Irving has two stud scorers on his team this year yet his assists have actually gone down. He takes 2.5 more shots a game than Love. Love is getting 6 shots less than last year. Love is a much better shooter than Irving and if he were getting more shots and better shots, their offense would open up a lot more. It's just really awful to watch Irving play. I'm not a Cavs fan or a Lebron or Love fan, I just like basketball and Irving is awful at it.

Love is not a good defender but Irving is just as bad and when you have no rim protectors you can't constantly be hung out to dry by your backcourt. The Cavs aren't gonna win shit this year and if I were Love I'd split immediately.

[NattyPButter]

don't need to be firing the coach. When they ran Blatt's offense with everyone touching the ball they did great. Now the last few games I've been seeing Lebron dribbling the ball for a long as time to chuck up a 3pt shot or jump shot. Also been seeing Lebron not getting back on defense and complaining almost every damn game. His body language is horrible when things are not going great. Also didn't like the fact that he didn't pass to Dion when Dion wanted to the ball to swing it to a open Mike Miller. Now Dion is getting looked at as he wanted the ball for himself.

[Mass Debator]

Their defensive isn't garbage because a lack of effort, it's garbage because most of the players are inherently bad defenders. You want Kevin Love and Tristian Thompson to be rim protectors all of the sudden? Or Kyrie Irvng to channel his inner Gary Payton? :roll:

But yeah, lets just blame the coach even though they have clear holes in the roster that many people (including myself) pointed out before the season started.
Shouldn't their offense annihilate teams?

[Uncle Drew]

This is bullshit, Blatt isn't the problem. He needs time, and we should give him his time. No coach would do big things with this team. Not Pop, not Phil. We lack depth, we lack rim protection.

But if LeBron wants to play GM and get his friend Mark Jackson in, I'm pretty much done.

[Mass Debator]

Irving is the problem. Replace him with any PG who plays good D and looks to get his teammates involved and they would be winning a lot more.

Irving has two stud scorers on his team this year yet his assists have actually gone down. He takes 2.5 more shots a game than Love. Love is getting 6 shots less than last year. Love is a much better shooter than Irving and if he were getting more shots and better shots, their offense would open up a lot more. It's just really awful to watch Irving play. I'm not a Cavs fan or a Lebron or Love fan, I just like basketball and Irving is awful at it.

Love is not a good defender but Irving is just as bad and when you have no rim protectors you can't constantly be hung out to dry by your backcourt. The Cavs aren't gonna win shit this year and if I were Love I'd split immediately.
I guess you really don't understand Lebron ball. It's rare to have two players with over 6 assists. Kyrie is playing shooting guard on offense and Lebron is playing point. Kyrie is doing his job of scoring and distributing when allowed. Of course he should improve his D and effort but so does Lebron. Love is not getting enough touches because Lebron never throws it into the post because that usually results in a no assist possession for him. Plus he'd have to play off ball uncomfortably. Love's role on offense is a sharp shooter. Love's offensive rebounding and assists has dropped since he doesn't get to play down low much anymore.

Their main problem is a lack of rim protection. If Lebron is going to be doing his usual thing though, the other big problem is investing tons of money to a jump shooting power forward who plays little D. It's like paying Ryan Anderson 16 million...double his current worth. Wouldn't it be nice to spend $8 million on some other pieces?

[chocolatethunder]

I guess you really don't understand Lebron ball. It's rare to have two players with over 6 assists. Kyrie is playing shooting guard on offense and Lebron is playing point. Kyrie is doing his job of scoring and distributing when allowed. Of course he should improve his D and effort but so does Lebron. Love is not getting enough touches because Lebron never throws it into the post because that usually results in a no assist possession for him. Plus he'd have to play off ball uncomfortably. Love's role on offense is a sharp shooter. Love's offensive rebounding and assists has dropped since he doesn't get to play down low much anymore.

Their main problem is a lack of rim protection. If Lebron is going to be doing his usual thing though, the other big problem is investing tons of money to a jump shooting power forward who plays little D. It's like paying Ryan Anderson 16 million...double his current worth. Wouldn't it be nice to spend $8 million on some other pieces?

Lebron has nothing to do with Irving bringing the ball up and taking a shot 4 seconds into the clock. Nor does he have anything to do with Irving bringing the ball up and dribbling for 18 seconds and looking off Love and Lebron and then shooting some awful shot.

Irving's assists are down because he doesn't give up the rock. And yes they need a rim protector.

[comerb]

Lebron has nothing to do with Irving bringing the ball up and taking a shot 4 seconds into the clock. Nor does he have anything to do with Irving bringing the ball up and dribbling for 18 seconds and looking off Love and Lebron and then shooting some awful shot.

Irving's assists are down because he doesn't give up the rock. And yes they need a rim protector.

If there offense was a problem you might have a point, but since they are one of the best offensive teams in the league...

They were already pretty awful defensively, but with Varejao out for the season they are absolutely hopeless.

[NZStreetBaller]

They are in the playoff picture and above .500. Why are so many people trying to pin point faults?? They are winning.

[navy]

Blatt wont get fired so early. It's not his fault Varejao went down and now they only have one center. The front office needs to get creative and bring in a rim protector. Which was obious that they needed at the very beginning. Andy V was never a reliable piece. What coach is gonna fix a personnel issue?

Also, Lebron said he had no problem with Blatt. So at least he has that endorsement.

[GOBB]

I remember when Spo was on the hot seat in Miami and a few players on trade blocks/outs. It's funny how it's not even at all star break and stuff like this floats around and is discussed. Guess media and conspiracy theorist type fans are bored.

[niko]

Blatt wont get fired so early. It's not his fault Varejao went down and now they only have one center. The front office needs to get creative and bring in a rim protector. Which was obious that they needed at the very beginning. Andy V was never a reliable piece. What coach is gonna fix a personnel issue?

Also, Lebron said he had no problem with Blatt. So at least he has that endorsement.
That was an endorsment? Did you see what he said? Something to the effect of "he's our coach, what choice do i have?"

[navy]

I remember when Spo was on the hot seat in Miami and a few players on trade blocks/outs. It's funny how it's not even at all star break and stuff like this floats around and is discussed. Guess media and conspiracy theorist type fans are bored.
This. Lebron had the perfect chance to throw Blatt under the bus and didnt.

So who exactly are these sources? And why would you fire a coach in his first season of a team that couldnt even reach 40 wins last season?

If anything the GM should be gone for giving Andy V that contract and not getting the obvious rim protector that this team needed. :facepalm

[navy]

That was an endorsment? Did you see what he said? Something to the effect of "he's our coach, what choice do i have?"
Full quote.

Yeah, I mean, he's our coach. What other coach do we have?" James said. "... They put together a gameplan for us to go out and succeed every night."

James was asked if his endorsement would mean a lot for Blatt.

"Well listen man, I don't pay no bills around here. Listen man, I play. I'm happy with who we have at our helm," James said. "He's our coach, but to make it a feud between me and Blatt or the team and Blatt is just to sell. It's just to sell and get people to read it and put something on the bottom of the ticker. That's all it is."

[leBron Bieber]

everyone blaming lebron n saying its too early but wasnt it like 5 games when mike brown got fire in L.a.. plus blatt is a good coach but he obviously cant handle nba egos.. lebron love irving waiters all have their ego n feel entitled .. i seen each one shoot the team out the game,its on the coach if u cant control your players

[TylerOO]

They are in the playoff picture and above .500. Why are so many people trying to pin point faults?? They are winning.

Being in the playoff picture was not this teams expectation

[Budadiiii]

LeBron should be on the hot seat. Not living up to his contract.

Either he plays better or the Cavs should trade him while he still has value. LeBron for Tyson Chandler and Monta Ellis.

[SamuraiSWISH]

I called this ... it's visible in timeouts, and huddles that the guy's don't respect Blatt.


I remember when Spo was on the hot seat in Miami and a few players on trade blocks/outs. It's funny how it's not even at all star break and stuff like this floats around and is discussed. Guess media and conspiracy theorist type fans are bored.
It felt like LeBron was trying to bully Spo out of his coaching spot in 2011 too.

[navy]

It felt like LeBron was trying to bully Spo out of his coaching spot in 2011 too.
Based on what? The team struggling early in the season?

Of course there are gonna be rumors when a team struggles, but it's fairly easy for a star player to get rid of coach just by asking. Blatt gets the season at least. Maybe next season as well if they dont find another center.

[Milbuck]

Also, Lebron said he had no problem with Blatt. So at least he has that endorsement.
http://larrybrownsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dwight-howard-stan-van-gundy1.jpg

[R.I.P.]

Cavs are just a poorly run organisation. That starts with picking the assistants for Blatt. They already undermined his authority by signing Lue to the biggest assistant contract, who is a complete coaching nobody.


Then Blatt made the mistake to deviate from his European basketball coaching principles that the coach is the king. He had his contract, he can always go back to Europe, so if you fail in the NBA at least fail on your terms.

A "LeBron listen! Shut the **** up!" was needed, instead he came with "LeBron if It might, which toilet paper, so I can wipe your behind, your Royal Highness? Or do you prefer a Bidet. I can blow water up your behind, too."

[navy]

http://larrybrownsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dwight-howard-stan-van-gundy1.jpg
lol, well when/if Lebron calls for Blatts job he will be gone immediately and we will know about it.

[R.I.P.]

I called this ... it's visible in timeouts, and huddles that the guy's don't respect Blatt.


It felt like LeBron was trying to bully Spo out of his coaching spot in 2011 too.

Agreed. Spoelstra deserves a lot of credit for the way he managed the team beyond the X

[yeaaaman]

Dave McMenamin on Lebron and Kyrie's "endorsements" of Coach Blatt.



Dave McMenamin
LeBron's Blatt comments = a tepid endorsement. He twice said DB has their attention & said he's happy w/ him, but gave no ringing examples
32 minutes ago

Dave McMenamin
Kyrie Irving, on the other hand, was strong in his support: "I'll do anything for Coach Blatt and I know players share the same (sentiment)"
24 minutes ago


And Stein

Marc Stein
LeBron has clearly been detached from huddles and said he was in "chill mode" Friday night. Cavs need more from the best player in the world

[niko]

Full quote.

Yeah, I mean, he's our coach. What other coach do we have?" James said. "... They put together a gameplan for us to go out and succeed every night."

James was asked if his endorsement would mean a lot for Blatt.

"Well listen man, I don't pay no bills around here. Listen man, I play. I'm happy with who we have at our helm," James said. "He's our coach, but to make it a feud between me and Blatt or the team and Blatt is just to sell. It's just to sell and get people to read it and put something on the bottom of the ticker. That's all it is."

That's a horrible endorsement. :lol

[hawkfan]

http://larrybrownsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dwight-howard-stan-van-gundy1.jpg

Thanks for releasing Josh Smith, coach.

[hawkfan]

That's a horrible endorsement. :lol

Niko,

Why aren't the Knicks better?

[navy]

Thanks for releasing Josh Smith, coach.
Didnt he sign him? Or was that someone else? :oldlol:

[niko]

Niko,

Why aren't the Knicks better?

The players suck.

It's sad that you care more about the Knicks when your own team is actually decent. I guess ***** envy. Very very sad.

[niko]

Didnt he sigh him? Or was that someone else? :oldlol:
That was Joe Dumars. Dumars + Cap Space = Disaster.

[hawkfan]

The players suck.

It's sad that you care more about the Knicks when your own team is actually decent. I guess ***** envy. Very very sad.

I don't make enough threads about the Hawks?
Ok.

[L.Kizzle]

I remember when Spo was on the hot seat in Miami and a few players on trade blocks/outs. It's funny how it's not even at all star break and stuff like this floats around and is discussed. Guess media and conspiracy theorist type fans are bored.
Other than that first month of the first year together, Spo was never really on the hot seat.

Have the Heat ever been this far down in the playoff seeding in the East almost half-way through the season? Cleveland is sitting at #5 right now behind Toronto, Atlanta, Washington and Chicago.

[niko]

I don't make enough threads about the Hawks?
Ok.
You make as much if not more threads about the Knicks. You most as much if not more about the Knicks. :confusedshrug: Not sure what to tell you.

[hawkfan]

The players suck.

Finally, you admit it.

[hawkfan]

http://larrybrownsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dwight-howard-stan-van-gundy1.jpg

Thanks for eating Josh's contract, so we can pay him a low salary and that gives more cap space to sign someone else.

[niko]

Finally, you admit it.
I would assume you know with your 24 hour Knicks newsfeed.

[navy]

Thanks for eating Josh's contract, so we can pay him a low salary and that gives more cap space to sign someone else.
You lost me.