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Cleveland Cavaliers GM David Griffin Leaves NBA Team, LeBron Disappointed

By Nics Abasta
Published on: 19:53 PST, Jun 19, 2017

Cleveland Cavaliers General Manager David Griffin has decided to part ways with the team after failing to reach an agreement on his contract extension. LeBron James reportedly had no idea that Griffin was leaving, and he felt disappointed upon learning the news.

Griffin’s contract with the Cavs is set to expire next month. He and owner Dan Gilbert reportedly went into extensive talks. However, no deal has been reached, ESPN reported. Reports say that Griffin and Gilbert do not agree with the latter’s vision for the franchise.

Griffin said in a statement that Cavs is a team built largely on fit, but at this point, the fit is no longer right for them to continue together. He said that he appreciates the opportunity that he had with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Now, he is looking forward to his next journey in the NBA.

Gilbert, meanwhile, also thanked Griffin for his contributions while he was with the Cleveland Cavaliers, mentioning that he became an instrument in getting the Cavs’ first NBA Championship. He added that there will be no announcement yet regarding the leadership changes in the Cavs.

Meanwhile, James LeBron, whose opinion is assumed to matter a lot to the Cleveland Cavaliers, was not consulted regarding the end of the deal between Griffin and Gilbert. Back in April, he told ESPN that the GM should get an extension of the contract, citing his several contributions to improving the Cavs’ depth by trading and bringing people in.

“It makes no sense why he shouldn’t get an extension. He’s pulled every move — he’s tried to make every move happen — to better this team to be able to compete for a championship. So we wouldn’t be in this position, obviously, without him and without the guys that are here — from the coaching staff to the players to Griff. He’s been a big piece of it.”

LeBron was not happy with Griffin’s departure, which could spell trouble for the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to Yahoo! Sports. Sources said LeBron is concerned about the timing and what Griffin’s exit could mean for the Cavs moving forward. He took to Twitter with his response.

“If no one appreciated you Griff I did, and hopefully all the people of Cleveland! Thanks for what u did for the team for 3 yrs! We got us 1.”

The news comes amid rumors that LeBron James might leave the Cavs after the next season. USA TODAY reported that Los Angeles Clippers might target LeBron in free agency in summer 2018. Clippers recently hired Jerry West as its consultant to improve the team. West and LeBron have built connections in the past years given their shared experiences, and that relationship could be instrumental for James to join West.

[Featured Image by Tony Dejak/AP Images]

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