Sunday, June 6, 2010

Behind the scenes....

Well, Adrian Wojnarowski really rips apart LeBron, the Cavs, LeBron's boys, Dan Gilbert, and basically all of the shenanigans going on right now in preview of the July 1 free agent deadline.  "NBA stands at LeBron's beck and call..." indeed.

It wasn't until Tom Thibodeau – who swore he never again wanted an agent – signed with William Wesley's CAA that the Chicago Bulls grew serious about the coach's candidacy.

Something pushed Bulls officials to get on a plane, fly to Los Angeles on the eve of the NBA Finals and meet with the Boston Celtics assistant coach. Within 48 hours, the Bulls had a deal for Thibodeau to become their head coach. For several weeks, the Bulls had chances to interview him. They never did. Just a year ago, Thibodeau couldn't get offers from the Sacramento Kings, Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia Sixers and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Celtics see him as a career assistant and wouldn't even consider him as a candidate to replace Doc Rivers.

Only now, Tom Thibodeau has a three-year contract to coach the Chicago Bulls.

And Wojnarowski says Ferry was just miserable, and LeBron was not the perfect employee...

Ferry convinced Gilbert to step back, let him do his job. But more and more, the owner's impulsive need to inject himself into everything took over the franchise. Most of all, Gilbert had become the biggest enabler of LeBron James and his inner circle, and that only promises to get worse. Ferry never loved the players' pregame skits, the hiring of James' buddies, the associates' riding on the team plane, but Gilbert seldom said no to anything. He behaved like the permissive parent who believed his kid would love him more if he spoiled him rotten. And it got the Cavs a superstar, James, who never respected anyone and a cast of associates who had the run of the place. Had James wanted Ferry to still be the GM, Gilbert would've backed down and Ferry would have a new contract.....The message to James and his people is unmistakable: Whatever you want here, you'll have. Your way is our way now. That isn't how it works with winning organizations, and the tragic part is that James may well recognize that and bail on Cleveland anyway.

Well this kind of light is not exactly the fun loving Cavaliers that we thought there were.  Maybe there was some resentment, or mistrust, between Ferry and LeBron's people.  But the fans love LeBron, the teammates all love each other, but this makes me fear that it's not about winning, or money, but just about power.  And I'm not sure Dan Gilbert can provide enough power.