LeBron, Cavs regroup after stunning coaching change

A person familiar with the decision says the Cavaliers have fired coach David Blatt, who led the team to the NBA Finals last season.

“I think I was just as surprised and caught off guard as everybody”, LeBron told the media after Cavs shootaround on Saturday.

“We are a team that struggle more than any good team I’ve been with – and this is my 24th year in the NBA”, Griffin said.

In a release Friday, GM David Griffin said Lue is in a good place as he takes over the head coaching position. However, you need in that situation to be assertive and make sure your players know you’re going to hold them accountable, every one of them, and they’re going to respect you.

“I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to serve as the Head Coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers”, Blatt said in a statement Friday night.

“I stopped that a long time ago in my career… worrying about what other people think about me or about what I influence or what I don’t. We are far from ideal and we are still not at our best, but it’s not for lack of effort and it’s not for lack of good group of guys that want to do their job as best as they possibly can and I think have done pretty well so far”, he said.

Blatt’s dismissal came one day after the coach was defensive before and after the Cavs beat the Los Angeles Clippers.

As social networks hummed with speculation and opinion about James’ role in Blatt’s removal, Griffin dismissed the notion that the four-time league MVP is a “coach killer”.

Although there’s a premium on winning for the Cavs, with LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, Blatt had a. 675 win percentage and had done well in the regular season. Also played in the league in 11 years and championships – multiple championships, so there’s nothing he hasn’t seen. The players have all the power these days, especially in the National Basketball Association.

James referred to his coach as simply “Blatt” during much of last season, and any interaction between the two seemed forced and insincere. What matters most to the Cavs are two teams: The Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs. Rampant speculation over the past year or more suggests that the Cavaliers players, foremost among them LeBron James, already relied on and heeded his counsel more than Blatt’s.

Derek Fisher was a teammate of Lue’s with the Lakers, but didn’t want to discuss what he thought of him before Friday night’s game. The Cavaliers are the general consensus best team in the East. But that doesn’t automatically make you a good coach.

Griffin said the home loss to the Warriors was not a “last straw” for Blatt.

The Pistons coach said he texted with Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and Charlotte Hornets coach Steve Clifford.