LeBron James and Koby Altman seem to have come a long way over the span of just the last couple of months.
According to a lengthy feature by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin that was published on Thursday, James questioned the Cleveland Cavaliers general manager’s absence from a team road trip that spanned from late December to early January. The piece also cited how the four-time MVP used to be “in constant communication” with former Cavs GM David Griffin.
Altman reportedly had good reason though — his fiancée gave birth to their first child, who experienced health complications. The first-year GM is also said to be more involved in scouting duties than Griffin was.
McMenamin further notes that Altman made “progress” with James during the team’s strong trade deadline — Altman went to his superstar player for a sit-down meeting about the potential trades before they happened, and James later praised Altman publicly for “a heck of a job” after the deadline.
Indeed, we heard in months past that James had a rather toxic relationship with the Cavs front office. But it sounds like Altman’s handling of the deadline was a step in the right direction, even if there may still be work to be done.
