I agree the ball movement was better.


Jarrett Jack - G - Cavaliers

Jarrett Jack's move into the starting lineup on Saturday was not intended to "send a message" to Kyrie Irving, according to Cavs coach Mike Brown.

Brown and some Cavaliers players have lamented Kyrie Irving's tendency to dribble the air out of the ball, and Jack's start over C.J. Miles was at least partly designed to facilitate ball-movement.

TFIR, thought you may like this rumor.


Jason

Bill, have you heard any links or info on the rumor below:

Lin / Turner / Montiejunas to Charlotte
Young / Hawes / Sessions to Houston
Gordon / Asik / MKG to Sixers

There could also be a pick coming to Philly. Any thoughts or reaction?

Bill Ingram

I’ve seen that rumored on foreign country websites, but nothing from the American press or from the usual guys who break those stories. My take on it? Makes a great deal of sense all the way around. Hawes would be great backing up Dwight, Young would give the Rockets the stretch four/three they need and Sessions is a solid locker room guy. Sixers add Asik to the core they’re building around and Turner would be a fabulous addition to the Bobcats. I don’t think Kemba Walker can start for a good playoff team, so Lin would have another chance to show he can be that guy. The way he played last week has people talking about him again, which increased the likelihood that he might get traded despite that balloon payment next year.


Read more at http://www.basketballinsiders.com/chat/ ... kGjjlxX.99

Wow, that is interesting.

I kinda like the Rockets this year, they are an interesting follow. Would be a good fit for all.

The exception would be the dumping of Ben Gordon's contract on the 76ers. I assume that's why they would want a bit more in that trade.

Thanks rusty

Cavaliers’ Anthony Bennett more relaxed, getting encouragement from league’s stars

By Jason Lloyd

Published: February 4, 2014 - 08:14 PM

While he tries to navigate through what has been a disappointing rookie season, Anthony Bennett has found encouragement from unlikely sources. Namely, some of the league’s top stars.

Bennett has scored in double figures in two of the Cavs’ past four games — the only two times it has happened all season. He fouled out of Monday’s loss to the Dallas Mavericks, but scored 11 points and played 26 minutes off the bench, more than any other reserve.

Vince Carter, Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler are among the league’s past and present stars that have encouraged him in recent days during his miserable rookie season.

“They trash talk me on the court,” Bennett said. “After the game, that’s when they tell me to keep my head up.”

Bennett couldn’t get off the bench a couple of weeks ago, registering five consecutive DNP-CDs (did not play, coach’s decision) and playing a total of 15 minutes during a three-week stretch. But with Anderson Varejao on a 25-minute limit Monday, Bennett swiped Tyler Zeller’s minutes. Thompson shifted to center and Bennett played power forward and Zeller played just three minutes. Cavs coach Mike Brown has complained about Zeller’s interior defense in recent days and said Monday he thinks Zeller gets too upright in his stance at times, which causes him to relax and slow down.

Bennett was the beneficiary Monday. He still committed some silly fouls because he was too aggressive and took bad angles, but he doesn’t seem as jittery or anxious offensively.

“I’m relaxing now. Just going out there and playing basketball,” Bennett said. “Before I was constantly thinking, but now it’s free flow. I know all the plays, so I just have to go out there and play.”

It’s unclear how many minutes Bennett will get once Varejao’s minutes limit is lifted, which could come tonight when the Cavs host the Los Angeles Lakers. Varejao told reporters Tuesday he felt good and his knee wasn’t bothering him, but Brown thought the knee affected him in certain pick-and-roll defenses Monday night.

“I’ve seen him move better,” Brown said. “That’s a tribute to the speed of the game and the fact that it was a leg injury.”

Bennett insists he hasn’t “been listening to all the negative talk” regarding his rookie season, he just isn’t dwelling as much on every mistake like he was earlier in the season.

“I was just worried about making a lot of mistakes, with getting subbed out, all that in the back of my head,” Bennett said. “Now I’m just going out there and giving it my all. Who cares if I get subbed out? I’m just playing.”

Although I do agree with rusty that Brown may need to be replaced, I do think his hands were tied with regards to Bennett.

With management pushing for the playoffs, it's hard to let the struggling rookie just stay in and play through mistakes.

Probably one of the more embarrassing losses ever in the NBA. Lakers actually ended the game having to play with a player that fouled out of the game because the Lakers only had 4 players at the time.

Mike Brown might be one of the worst coaches of all time.

Cavs must not wait another minute. Change is needed now

Sam Amico

FOX Sports Ohio

FEB 05, 2014 11:12p


CLEVELAND -- There's nothing left to be said about the Cavaliers. It's time for action.

The Cavs' 119-108 loss to the visiting Lakers on Wednesday may have been the most embarrassing defeat in franchise history. And remember, we're talking about a team that once lost to the Lakers by 55.

We're talking about a team that lost to Sacramento by 44 earlier this season, a team that made a mockery of the pro game on national TV just last week in New York.

And a team that has one victory in the previous nine games, a victory that just happened to come over the lowly Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks don't mind losing, and anymore, neither do the Cavs.

How else do you explain what's happening here? No team with heart allows things to play out like they did in front of about 9,000 people at The Q on Wednesday.

Consider the Lakers' situation entering the night.

They were riding a seven-game losing streak. They played the previous night at Minnesota, and because of the weather, didn't get to Cleveland until after 3 in the morning. Their heads hit the pillows about two hours later.

The Lakers could've trotted out a healthy Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and Pau Gasol, and you still would've expected them to lose.

But none of those veteran leaders were in uniform. Neither was Jodie Meeks. Nor Jordan Hill. Jordan Farmar left in the second half. Nick Young got hurt in the first. Robert Sacre fouled out.

The Lakers were begging the Cavs to win. BEGGING them.

The Cavs (16-33) said thanks, but we're good. And by good, they meant content to be bad. That's how you get torched by unheralded rookie Ryan Kelly for 26 points on your own home floor.

When Sacre fouled out with less than 4:00 to go, the Lakers were down to four guys. So Sacre stayed in the game, per league rules. Nash ran to the dressing room and changed into his uniform with about 2:00 to go, just in case.

This game was weird. The Cavs' season is weird. They need to figure out a way to return to at least normal, because the fans are beyond wit's end and have every right to be.

This is a public relations disaster, a nightmare that makes the pathetic local NFL team look like it's been sent from heaven to bless the city.

The Cavs, meanwhile, are straight from Mars.

Nothing comes close to making sense.

Kyrie Irving has scored 0 points in a game this season and didn't get off the bench in the fourth quarter against one of the league's worst teams Wednesday. How do these things keep happening? Truth is, they should never happen, and they certainly shouldn't just be accepted as part of some strange "adjustment" period.

The Cavs needed a leader. They traded for Luol Deng and thought they got one. But Deng started off hot, and has become almost completely ineffective.

Why is he worse now than when he got here? Why has no one shown consistent improvement from last season? Why have most guys seemingly become disinterested? Why aren't the Cavs listening to coach Mike Brown? Mostly, who's the leader here?

You can say all you want that Brown hasn't lost the team, and based on the extra effort of guys like Anderson Varejao, C.J. Miles and Matthew Dellavedova, it's clear that Brown hasn't lost all of them. But if he hasn't lost most of them, they must have suddenly developed a hearing problem. They've become deaf to the tone of Brown's voice.

The Cavs have to stop waiting for the media to ask the tough questions. They have to ask those questions themselves. They have to accept the fact that the solutions are going to be very difficult.

But there's nothing easy about professional sports. Easy doesn't factor into times like these.

You know that old line about drastic measures? The Cavs are there. Do something. Now.

On the bright side, if they have no hope at least Bennett can get some playing time.


Anthony Bennett - F - Cavaliers

Anthony Bennett played down the stretch at power forward against the Lakers on Wednesday, scoring 14 points, eight boards, one assist and two steals in 22 minutes.

It was his second best game of his career and he's starting to get better. Believe it or not, Bennett averaged 9.2 points, 4.6 boards, 0.8 steals, 0.6 steals and 0.6 triples on 37.8 percent shooting over his last five. The rookie is still fouling way too much and is unlikely to have the stamina to play more than 27 minutes on a regular basis.

Grant fired! Well it's a start....

Cleveland Cavaliers Make Front Office Change
February 6, 2014
RSS

Team Releases General Manager Chris Grant
Appoints VP of Basketball Operations David Griffin as Acting General Manager

CLEVELAND, OH - The Cleveland Cavaliers have released General Manager Chris Grant effective immediately and appointed Vice President of Basketball Operations, David Griffin, as Acting General Manager. Grant was named general manager of the Cavs on June 4, 2010. He originally joined the franchise as the club’s vice president of basketball operations/assistant general manager in July 2005.

"I would like to thank Chris Grant for his eight and a half years of service with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the last three and a half as General Manager. Chris always conducted himself with class, integrity and was motivated by what he believed was right for the organization. We wish Chris and his family the best in the years to come," said Dan Gilbert Majority Owner of the Cavaliers.

“My entire focus the past eight years has been on trying to build a team that can contend and win and provide Cleveland fans the success that they deserve,” said Grant. “I have a tremendous appreciation for the players that are here and the coaches that I have worked with, as well as our front office. I thank them for all of their dedication and commitment to the Cavaliers.”

Gilbert went on to address the current situation and the path ahead:

"This has been a very difficult period for the franchise. We have severely underperformed against expectations. Just as this is completely unacceptable to our loyal and passionate fan base, season ticket holders and corporate partners, it is also just as unacceptable to our ownership group. I can assure everyone who supports and cares about the Cleveland Cavaliers that we will continue to turn over every stone and explore every possible opportunity for improvement to shift the momentum of our franchise in the right direction. There is no one in our entire organization who is satisfied with our performance, and to say that we are disappointed is an understatement. We all know the great potential of our young talent, seasoned veterans, as well as our recent all-star addition. We believe a change in leadership was necessary to establish the best possible culture and environment for our entire team to flourish.

There is no move, nor any amount of capital investment, we will not make if we believe it will improve our chances of competing and winning in this league for both the short and long term. The fans of this great city have invested too much time, money and effort for the kind of product we have recently delivered to them. This must change," concluded Gilbert.

David Griffin joined the Cavaliers as vice president of basketball operations in September 2010. Prior to joining the Cavaliers, Griffin spent 17 seasons with the Phoenix Suns, the last three as the club’s senior vice president of basketball operations after being named to the position in June 2007.

FRank Isola and Stacy King, on NBA radio this morning, spent a good amount of time talking about the Cavs and Mike Brown.

About the Cavs, they said the franchise is now regarded at the bottom of the NBA among league followers. They said there are few non-tanking teams with the quality! of the Cavs roster who have played such a low level of basketball and displayed such terrible attitude on and off the court.

On Mike Brown, their opinion is that the only thing Mike has shown in his coaching career is to have a winning record while coaching one of the best players of the modern era. They believe he has lost the team and that his reputation has zero credibility with players. Stacy King added that if he has pissed off Deng, that says it all.

Don't understand why they are keeping Mike Brown.

Mike Brown is next. Probably wait until the season ends.

Dion Waiters is Gilbert's favorite player so this may keep him in Cleveland.

If Chris Grant suggested rehiring Mike Brown (college roommate) then Grant needed to go.

Funny, finally figured out last night that this team is staging a mutiny to get rid of Mike Brown.

Why wait to fire Brown? If they keep playing like last night, they will have no fan base by year end.

Wonder if Doug Collins would agree to coach to the end of the year. The team needs some stability.