National Basketball Association

NBA Report: LeBron, Love talk of early respect for Blatt

Published Sep. 27, 2014 4:26 p.m. ET

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INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- David Blatt was backed against the wall, surrounded by reporters on every side.

The Cavaliers' new coach couldn't step forward or move to the right or the left without bumping into another body.

"There's no way out," Blatt joked, and he'd better get used to it. This was only the first day of training camp at Cleveland Clinic Courts.

With the Cavs' new Big Three of LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving in uniform, Blatt is certain to have many more days like this. Namely, from now until the end of June (if all goes well).

On this day, it was OK. Blatt was all smiles.

"I would define it as a very good start," he said of the first practice.

LeBron and Love were right there with him.

James gave his new teammates a pep talk before things got started, and Love used words like "efficient" and "focused" and "gritty" after things wrapped up.

"It was a good day," Love said. "We have a lot of guys who know how to play basketball, (who are) very unselfish by nature."

Without question, with the likes of James, Love, Irving and even Dion Waiters and Anderson Varejao, this Cavs team certainly has plenty of folks who can distribute the ball.

And ball movement is one area of emphasis for Blatt, that much is certain. During informal workouts prior to camp, he often stopped games of five-on-five to ask players, "Hey, why didn't you make an extra pass there?"

So even before things became official, the new coach was putting his mark on this new, much-improved version of the Cavs.

"He looks very poised, very ready to lead us," Love said of Blatt.

Added James, "He doesn't like to repeat himself too much."

So if there's one thing that's clear from spending the more than two decades as a coach overseas, it's that Blatt already has control of his star-laden, deep team.

"He knows what he stands for," James said. "He knows what he's here to do and that's to lead us and win ballgames and that's all that should matter."

Dribbles

1. James, Irving, Mike Miller and others spent a good amount of time together after Friday's media day, just hanging out in the practice facility, talking and joking. This isn't always a common practice, as players often do their own thing after practices and games. But these Cavs are clearly already a tight-knight bunch.

2. Love spoke to this on Saturday, saying the theme of practice was "just that we're all in this together." He later added, "There's a great energy here."

3. While general manager David Griffin hasn't abandoned the team's search for another tall guy to guard the basket, the potential exists that the Cavs' rim protector is already on the roster. That would be none other than veteran Brendan Haywood, a 34-year old center obtained in a trade with Charlotte this past summer. Haywood missed all of last year with a foot injury.

4. Haywood has been playing five-on-five and went through the entire practice Saturday. "He was one of the great positives today," Blatt said.

Around the NBA

1. Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak believes a return to the playoffs is possible, with Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash healthy again, along with the additions Carlos Boozer and Jeremy Lin. Obviously, all hopes and expectations continue to be centered on Bryant. "I'm not going to predict what his statistics will be, but ... if we needed 30 or 35 (points) from him, I think he could get it," Kupchak told LA reporters.

2. The defending champion Spurs have won five titles, but have failed to repeat after each. When this was mentioned to coach Gregg Popovich at media day, his explanation was typical. "Why haven't we repeated? Because we haven't," he said. "If we do it would be great. If we don't life will go on and everything's cool."

3. With training camps opening league-wide, here are some notable free-agents who remain unsigned and without a home: Jason Collins, D.J. White, Jermaine O'Neal, Ray Allen, Greg Oden, Dante Cunningham, Kenyon Martin, Emeka Okafor, Earl Watson.

4. Other notables who have signed within the past week or so: Eric Bledsoe (Suns), Andray Blatche (China), Rasual Butler (Wizards), Wayne Ellington (Lakers), Michael Beasley (Grizzlies), Jason Maxiell (Hornets), Doron Lamb (Mavericks), Jeremy Tyler (Lakers).