CLEVELAND -- Cavaliers general manager David Griffin says don't believe the hype. Or when it comes to the rumors about Cavs coach David Blatt, the lies.
Griffin addressed the Cavs' coaching situation prior to Sunday afternoon's home game against the Dallas Mavericks. He said that despite reports and some Twitter buzz to contrary, Blatt isn't going anywhere.
"The narrative of our coaching situation is truly ridiculous," Griffin said. "It's a non-story, it's a non-narrative. Coach Blatt is our coach, he's going to remain our coach. Do not write that as a vote of confidence. He never needed one. It was never a question. So don't write it that way."
Several national and local reports have indicated Blatt could be in trouble in his first season with the Cavs -- which is also his first season coaching in the NBA at any level. The reports, through unnamed sources, implied Blatt may be losing the team.
But Griffin strongly backed his coach Sunday, saying those reports are false.
"That narrative is done," Griffin said. "No change is being made, period."
Along with Griffin, Cavaliers forward LeBron James and guard Kyrie Irving have both offered support for Blatt recently.
Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle also spoke highly of Blatt prior to Sunday's game -- with Carlisle referring to Blatt as one of the "greatest coaches in the world."
Carlisle added that it would be foolish for the Cavs to give up on Blatt less than halfway through Blatt's first season.
"He proved that long before he came to the NBA," Carlisle said. "There was no doubt in my mind that he would eventually coach here and become one of the elite coaches in the league."
The Cavs won 19 of their first 33 games and sat in second place in the Central Division (behind Chicago) heading into Sunday. Prior to this season, they compiled the NBA's worst record over the past four years.
Griffin added that the Cavs are on the lookout to add depth, but have found no takers so far.
"We're very actively working the phones and doing everything we can to improve the team," Griffin said. "Unfortunately our timing doesn't match the timing of everybody else. Until the trade deadline, people typically don't have a lot of reason to do anything at a specific time."
