One of the moments that define the notion of a new NBA season tipping off is the inevitable sack of manager in the early days of the new campaign.
You must have heard of Cleveland Cavaliers sacking Head Coach Tyronn Lue after a winless run in six games and judging by the turn of events in the league, a few candidates have popped up. Winning just a game in seven appearances puts Washington Wizards Coach Scott Brooks as the next trainer to get the sack. Beyond the poor results, the quality side has not shown any signs of maturing beyond its infighting that has prevented Washington from appearing in the Eastern Conference Finals.
For a team that boasts All Stars John Wall and Bradley Beal and a strong supporting cast led by Dwight Howard. Otto Porter Jnr. and Austin Rivers, Wizards are the biggest underachievers in the East. In the West, LeBron James’ Lakers are yet to piece a winning run together especially against playoff bound teams meaning Coach Luke Walton is tethering to the line of fire. Unless Oklahoma reaches the Western Conference Finals, Billy Donovan will surely be replaced after this season with a year left on his contract.
Back to Lue and the circumstance under his sack was granted is bad news for Cavaliers management. Per multiple reports, Lue was fired after flouting the rule of General Manager Koby Altman who preferred young players playing extended minutes over veteran players. Lue thought otherwise and paid the price for his decisions.
With several veteran players due to be out of contract or in the final year of their contracts next season, it was wise on Lue’s part to give them time ahead of young players to make them attractive to prospective trade partners.
JR Smith, Kyle Korver and George Hill have just a year left on their existing deals beyond this season with all not fully guaranteed.
Smith is due $14 million next season but only $3 million of that is guaranteed. Korver is in a similar spot with $3.4 million guaranteed of his $7 million paycheck next season. Hill has just a million dollars guaranteed in the $18 million package left on his contract he originally signed with Sacramento Kings. Without giving them a lot of minutes, the Cavs would have poor returns in trade packages with title contending teams in need of veteran players.
Korver is the pick of the bunch as his three point stroke puts him fourth on the list of career 3 point shooters of all time ahead of Steph Curry. As erratic as Smith is, his devoted play on defense and three point shooting displays has its attractions. Hill is a savvy Point Guard who can man a starting unit should a contender lose its starting playmaker. With enough numbers behind all three, the returns in a trade would be significant in Cavaliers latest post LeBron James rebuild which is what Lue was trying to do.
The sack was no surprise to some in other quarters as signs of Cavs poor management tendencies showed prior to the season by not accepting a rebuild. Committing four years and a $120 million contract extension to Kevin Love, failing to trade Smith, Korver and Hill and bringing back 36 year old Channing Frye was a sign to contend for at least a playoff berth this season. However, doing so with several young players on the roster put the team’s direction in flux. Lue’s juggling act of sharing minutes between Collin Sexton and Hill and Larry Nance Jnr. and Tristan Thompson didn’t please the team’s top hierarchy and he got kicked out.
Despite the infamous gaffe in last season’s finals series against Golden State Warriors where the 2016 title winning Coach failed to call a timeout prior to Smith’s meltdown, LeBron was supportive of his former Coach likewise Love. Seeing the facts behind his sack, he did little wrong to deserve that. He will be compensated with $15 million which will be spread out over a period just as former sacked trainers Mike Brown and David Blatt benefited. Letting the kids play is good but in Cleveland that time has to come when trades have been made for high draft picks and equally young players.
Cavs management is hurting its chances of a quick bounce back with its latest move and shows why James and Kyrie Irving had issues with the team’s operations.
By Yaw Adjei-Mintah
@YawMintYM on Twitter
