Why David Blatt Was Fired By The Cavaliers. (From BBALLBREAKDOWN)
- Thread starter Double-K
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Is there a Reader's Digest condensed version? I'm really not interested enough to listen to 11 minutes on the subject. Tempus fugit, you know. 
I was going to bring that up and let it go. They also had 3 of the greatest NBA coaches in history and Russell who is my favorite of the bunch succeeded Red as player-coach.
And when MJ went forward with his ill-advised comeback, he brought Collins in as his yes man since Collins knew he was subservient to MJ after being put in his place years prior.
The biggest difference between the stars of yesterday and the stars of today is 500 cable channels with 24/7 news cycle and the presence of social media. MJ in particular would be viewed in a much different light had his career begun 15-20 years later.
And when MJ went forward with his ill-advised comeback, he brought Collins in as his yes man since Collins knew he was subservient to MJ after being put in his place years prior.
The biggest difference between the stars of yesterday and the stars of today is 500 cable channels with 24/7 news cycle and the presence of social media. MJ in particular would be viewed in a much different light had his career begun 15-20 years later.
What I (as israeli and native russian-speaker which probably makes me not objective... can't deny ) think about Blatt and Cavs saga
Part 1.
Strangely the case of David Blatt's coaching stint in Cleveland is an example of chain of decisions by several acting parts - each of them logical and sound by itself (unlike some decisions made by King's management for example...) but the ulimate result of them together is disappoinment or even disaster for all involved.
June 2014, Cavs management is looking for coach which is not yet another NBA retread but specialist actually able to change things around... Blatt is the coach known first of all (not by american public, which concentrated on his Princeton PG past but by those actually familiar with european basketball) as the coach who takes squads lacking talent and causes them heavily over-perform (as in case of Maccabi Tel-Aviv winning Euroleague over teams with almost x3 bigger budgets or Russian NT winning European championship over vastly better Spain NT). To hire him seems to be great move for Cavs.
Now, David Blatt looking to tranfer to NBA after huge Euroleague success is on his way to accept Steve Kerr's proposals to be his top assistant in Golden State, but when Cavs inquired he asks Kerr's permission to go to the interview. It seems to be huge opportunity for Blatt and he accepts the job
July 2014, Lebron James decides to come back home. There're multiple good and real reasons for him to do it: He thinks about his legacy as one of the best players in the history of the game (bringing championships for his home town team will look good in his future resume especially after detachment caused by the previous "decision" to move to Heat). Also he's reportedly not really happy about his status in Miami (he wants more influence on how things are done and Pat Riley is not going to give it to him). And even there's possible concern that Bosh and Wade grew older, they have more injures and maybe will not good enough to do the job in year or two...
Cavs owner and GM actually have no choise but do what Lebron wants, e.g. making room for players James wants to bring with him (by the way, mostly "vets" in woefully bad shape) and trade Wiggins which for now is only to-be-a-big-star for actual present star Kevin Love. There's "win now" mode on, the young team of the future Blatt started to know in his first weeks in Clevelend is dissolved. Actions are risky but almost inevitable as Lebron himself is not very young and fans are not going to be very patient.
which probably makes me not objective... can't deny ) think about Blatt and Cavs sagaPart 1.
Strangely the case of David Blatt's coaching stint in Cleveland is an example of chain of decisions by several acting parts - each of them logical and sound by itself (unlike some decisions made by King's management for example...) but the ulimate result of them together is disappoinment or even disaster for all involved.
June 2014, Cavs management is looking for coach which is not yet another NBA retread but specialist actually able to change things around... Blatt is the coach known first of all (not by american public, which concentrated on his Princeton PG past but by those actually familiar with european basketball) as the coach who takes squads lacking talent and causes them heavily over-perform (as in case of Maccabi Tel-Aviv winning Euroleague over teams with almost x3 bigger budgets or Russian NT winning European championship over vastly better Spain NT). To hire him seems to be great move for Cavs.
Now, David Blatt looking to tranfer to NBA after huge Euroleague success is on his way to accept Steve Kerr's proposals to be his top assistant in Golden State, but when Cavs inquired he asks Kerr's permission to go to the interview. It seems to be huge opportunity for Blatt and he accepts the job
July 2014, Lebron James decides to come back home. There're multiple good and real reasons for him to do it: He thinks about his legacy as one of the best players in the history of the game (bringing championships for his home town team will look good in his future resume especially after detachment caused by the previous "decision" to move to Heat). Also he's reportedly not really happy about his status in Miami (he wants more influence on how things are done and Pat Riley is not going to give it to him). And even there's possible concern that Bosh and Wade grew older, they have more injures and maybe will not good enough to do the job in year or two...
Cavs owner and GM actually have no choise but do what Lebron wants, e.g. making room for players James wants to bring with him (by the way, mostly "vets" in woefully bad shape) and trade Wiggins which for now is only to-be-a-big-star for actual present star Kevin Love. There's "win now" mode on, the young team of the future Blatt started to know in his first weeks in Clevelend is dissolved. Actions are risky but almost inevitable as Lebron himself is not very young and fans are not going to be very patient.
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Part 2
December 2014. It seems Lebron was not fond with Blatt being head coach from the very beginning (not coming to meet him for weeks after announcement of new "decision" and openly speaking for Mark Jackson as the best coach available are clear enough signs), but probably he just didn't think it's very important - just having "best player in the world" and couple of other top NBA talents with some "vets" help should be enough for success. But now things are not going in the right direction. Moving offence Blatt wanted to establish seems be not working and for now (or for good) abandoned for Lebron's and sometimes Irving's ISO. Start of the season was not very good, and then it just... made turn to the worse. Varejao went down and problems in paint were fully exposed... Love is known not-defender and Irving somehow hurting and hobbling is not much better on this end of the ball... so defence became just laughable. And there was no actual rotation as "vets" contribute next to nothing.
Probably James really felt that coaching is the problem (while probably there was nothing any coach could do with the flawed roster Blatt had). So he made his move. Actually there's no evidence that James ever issued any kind of clear request to Cavs management to get rid of Blatt but his "passive-agressive" approach clearly peaks at the end of 2014 when he abruptly takes two weeks vacation "to rest soreness in back and knees" and (reportedly, ok) laments about "Blatt's overly aggressive personality". With Lebron out Cavs are spiralling down losing 7 of 8. It was like Blatt's exit is pending.
January 2015. Here could be the strangest turn of the story. Almighty King hinted he wants things changed... and was completely ignored. Owner Gilbert said Blatt will stay. And as for changes - GM Griffin pulled out couple of trades. The one was just amazing - Cavs gave out virtually nothing or maybe even less than nothing (2nd round pick, Waiters harming team more than helping and completely useless Amundson and Kirk) and got shooter and peremiter defender along with protected 1st round pick. Yes, JR Smith was known as "head case" and Shumpert was injured when traded, but still it was just no-brainer. The other was must-done for the season success but potentially hurmfull in the future. Cavs gave two 1rds pick for Mozgov - probably overpaying. But in full win-now mode it wasn't really important what's Mozgov market value. He was the best paint clogger available and without paint-protecting center Cavs chances for title were not good.
As I see it this time was the glorious hour of Cavs management. They didn't make change Lebron wanted, they made change team really needed. Now, when they had players good enough, it was on Blatt ...and James to incorporate newcomers and find way to somehow co-exist.
December 2014. It seems Lebron was not fond with Blatt being head coach from the very beginning (not coming to meet him for weeks after announcement of new "decision" and openly speaking for Mark Jackson as the best coach available are clear enough signs), but probably he just didn't think it's very important - just having "best player in the world" and couple of other top NBA talents with some "vets" help should be enough for success. But now things are not going in the right direction. Moving offence Blatt wanted to establish seems be not working and for now (or for good) abandoned for Lebron's and sometimes Irving's ISO. Start of the season was not very good, and then it just... made turn to the worse. Varejao went down and problems in paint were fully exposed... Love is known not-defender and Irving somehow hurting and hobbling is not much better on this end of the ball... so defence became just laughable. And there was no actual rotation as "vets" contribute next to nothing.
Probably James really felt that coaching is the problem (while probably there was nothing any coach could do with the flawed roster Blatt had). So he made his move. Actually there's no evidence that James ever issued any kind of clear request to Cavs management to get rid of Blatt but his "passive-agressive" approach clearly peaks at the end of 2014 when he abruptly takes two weeks vacation "to rest soreness in back and knees" and (reportedly, ok) laments about "Blatt's overly aggressive personality". With Lebron out Cavs are spiralling down losing 7 of 8. It was like Blatt's exit is pending.
January 2015. Here could be the strangest turn of the story. Almighty King hinted he wants things changed... and was completely ignored. Owner Gilbert said Blatt will stay. And as for changes - GM Griffin pulled out couple of trades. The one was just amazing - Cavs gave out virtually nothing or maybe even less than nothing (2nd round pick, Waiters harming team more than helping and completely useless Amundson and Kirk) and got shooter and peremiter defender along with protected 1st round pick. Yes, JR Smith was known as "head case" and Shumpert was injured when traded, but still it was just no-brainer. The other was must-done for the season success but potentially hurmfull in the future. Cavs gave two 1rds pick for Mozgov - probably overpaying. But in full win-now mode it wasn't really important what's Mozgov market value. He was the best paint clogger available and without paint-protecting center Cavs chances for title were not good.
As I see it this time was the glorious hour of Cavs management. They didn't make change Lebron wanted, they made change team really needed. Now, when they had players good enough, it was on Blatt ...and James to incorporate newcomers and find way to somehow co-exist.
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