This was supposed to be the year we’d find out what kind of coach Ty Lue really is. After two-and-a-half years as the caretaker for LeBron James’ team, he’d finally have a Cavaliers roster all to himself.
That chance lasted all of six games. The Cavaliers fired Lue on Sunday after a sixth straight defeat to open the season.
Cleveland — with the possible exception of Tristan Thompson — harbored no delusions of matching its success with LeBron, but did think it could compete for a playoff spot this season. The Cavaliers re-signed Kevin Love to a four-year, $120 million contract extension, giving him a chance to be a franchise player again, and kept most of their other veterans.
But the early-season start should have shattered those delusions. Cleveland dropped its first six games, four of which were by double digits. A home loss to Indiana, on the back of blowout home losses to Atlanta and Brooklyn, was the last straw for Dan Gilbert.
Larry Drew is the interim coach for now, though he has reservations over his job security and wants a longer commitment before taking the job. Consider him the interim interim coach.
For even more coverage of this story, Cavaliers fans should check out Fear the Sword.
The Cavaliers are in denial
David Richard-USA TODAY SportsTyronn Lue isn’t a victim in his unceremonious Sunday firing by the Cleveland Cavaliers after an 0-6 start. He’s been blessed with sweet relief from a job going nowhere.
The Cavaliers were going to fall short of the NBA playoffs this season and Lue would have been fired next summer anyway. This way, he still gets paid ($15 million, reportedly), he’s free to find a warm homebase during the long Lake Erie winter, and his respectable head coaching record stays clean.
Read Article >When LeBron James leaves, things get ugly. Ty Lue’s firing is the latest example.
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesLeBron James leaving your team is bad news aside from the obvious “crap we don’t LeBron James on our team anymore” realization. Historically, his departure has taken championship contenders not only out of the running, but out of the playoffs. Simply put: The King’s exes miss him dearly.
The 2018-19 season is setting up just like the other two in a post-LeBron move year, especially following the firing of head coach Ty Lue after just six games. His ousting comes just four months after his team made the Finals. He had a 128-83 overall record.
Read Article >
