Report: Tyronn Lue pleaded with Cavs GM not to fire David Blatt
Cavaliers general manager David Griffin shocked everyone when he made the bold decision to fire head coach David Blatt back in January, especially considering the team had the best record in the Eastern Conference.
But Tyronn Lue, who Griffin chose as Blatt's successor, was perhaps more astonished than anyone. In fact, Lue was reportedly so upset with the decision that he begged Griffin to reconsider.
Chris Haynes of Cleveland.com detailed the January 22 phone call in which Griffin asked Lue to take over as head coach of the Cavaliers:
Looking back on it now, Lue admits the whole situation was mind-boggling at the time.
"I was like, 'what the (expletive).' That was my initial thought," Lue told Cleveland.com. "I didn't see it coming. I couldn't believe it. But, you're prepared because you've done the coaching interviews and you have your philosophies. But to fire the head coach and you take over the next day with no practice or anything and you have the Chicago Bulls coming in. It was overwhelming."
While many saw Blatt's midseason firing as a risky move by Griffin, it has certainly paid off. Under Lue, the Cavaliers became a new team -- refocused and revitalized. He found a way to connect with his players and get the most out of everyone on the roster, which has been especially apparent during the Cavaliers' playoff run.
Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert backed Griffin's choice to make the coaching change and couldn't be happier with the outcome.
"I just think it was a great decision that was made," Gilbert told Cleveland.com. "You never know what would happen any other way, but I think [Lue is] fantastic. It's rare that a guy knows the game and has people skills. You get both with him, like offense and defense almost. He's a special guy."
