The Cleveland Cavaliers revamped much of their roster before the NBA trade deadline on Thursday, and it sounds as though LeBron James did not have a say in much of anything that the team did.
After the Cavs made a series of trades that saw them part ways with Isaiah Thomas, Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade and others, NBA reporter Brian Windhorst said on ESPN that Cleveland’s front office did not consult LeBron on any of the moves.
Windhorst: "LeBron was not consulted on these moves."
Shows Dan Gilbert is running the show. Interesting. Is Cleveland still the favorite to keep LeBron?
— Jason McIntyre (@jasonrmcintyre) February 8, 2018
For what it’s worth, Windhorst’s colleague Dave McMenamin reports that James was, in fact, consulted before the Cavs decided to trade his close friend Wade back home to the Miami Heat.
A Cavs source tells ESPN that Cleveland wanted to "do right" by Dwyane Wade once the acquisition of Jordan Clarkson, combined with the youth movement of Cedi Osman, made it clear Wade's role would be reduced. Wade, his representative Leon Rose and LeBron James were all consulted
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 8, 2018
It’s no surprise that Dan Gilbert and Cavs GM Koby Altman are not seeking LeBron’s opinion before making moves, especially given his status with the team heading into this summer. Cleveland clearly wanted to address some of its chemistry issues and contend for a championship this season, but LeBron’s future with the team is far from guaranteed.
