According to every member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team is drama free. With the losses coming more frequent than the team would like, reports have surfaced regarding a number of things, including distrust in head coach and potential free agency exits in the coming years. The Cavaliers have set the bar high for themselves after several offseason acquisitions, but as they fail to be met will some of these reports come true in the near future?
Cavaliers general manager David Griffin is setting the record straight, making sure everyone is aware that the team and front office is very satisfied with the job Blatt is currently doing in Cleveland. Reports surfaced last week that there was plenty of distrust with the head coach as Blatt was getting the blame for the losses, but Griffin insists no changes are in the future for Cleveland.
"No change is being made, period. It's such a ridiculous assertion. It seemed giving life to it is what would happen by talking about it so I didn't want to do that," Griffin said, via ESPN.com. "At the same time it's just time for everybody to get on with it. We have a chance to galvanize ourselves and grow and move in a positive direction so I want to make sure we're doing that in a fresh environment."
The Cavaliers are trying to improve the team before the trade deadline after the season-ending injury Anderson Varejao gave Cleveland a $5.2 million trade exception and $4.9 million disabled player exception. Injuries to LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love also reinforce the need to add someone to the roster which could include Timofey Mozgov or big deals for Greg Monroe or Brook Lopez.
Then there is the issue with free agency. Love has the chance to become a free agent in the upcoming summer. Despite being traded to the Cavaliers, the forward still has an expiring deal to his name since per NBA rules Cleveland was not allowed to sign Love to a new contract upon the trade. James also has the chance to cut his time short in Cleveland. He could opt out as quickly as this summer since his 2015 deal is a player option. If Love were to say he was leaving, would James follow? The veteran denies any idea that he is looking to jump ship this quickly.
"My No. 1 goal is to win a championship here; it'd be the greatest achievement in my life," James said. "I don't plan on going nowhere. I don't have the energy to do it again. At the end of the day, I'm a businessman as well. I know what is going on in the league. Even with the veterans we've brought in, even if we're able to acquire Kevin Love two weeks from now, it's still going to be a process. I know that firsthand. It was a process when I was in Cleveland. It was a process in Miami. It's going to be a challenge."
