CLEVELAND — Nothing ever seems good enough for Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert.
Not a championship. Not three straight appearances in the NBA finals. Not a rapt fan base. Not being forgiven by LeBron James.
He’s demanding. A fearless, risk-taking, casino-owning gambler. Those attributes have made him a billionaire businessman, a tough boss to please and the reason the Cavaliers are in a current state of chaos.
Following a loss to the Golden State Warriors in the finals and facing a pivotal offseason for his franchise, Gilbert decided Monday to part ways with general manager David Griffin, the architect of the most successful run in team history.
Gilbert, who has gone through four GMs in 12 years in Cleveland, made the risky move as the Cavaliers are trying to revamp their roster while James’ free-agency clock is ticking down toward next summer when his contract expires.
There’s confusion in Cleveland. What else is new?
This is a team that has flourished amid disorder, and the Cavaliers are in disarray again days after having their title snatched by Kevin Durant and the Warriors. Just last week, Gilbert had said he was happy with the direction of the team and didn’t envision sweeping changes. But he and Griffin’s vision for the future didn’t align and they mutually agreed to separate.
“We are now at a point where the fit is not right for us to continue with one another,” Griffin said in a statement that sounded like something he might say about a player being released.
The timing of Griffin’s exit couldn’t be worse. The Cavaliers are preparing for Thursday’s draft without any picks and they are reportedly exploring trades to land either Paul George or Jimmy Butler in an attempt to add another All-Star and close the gap on Golden State.
Griffin’s impact on the Cavaliers can’t be understated. He pulled off the blockbuster trade for Kevin Love, and fired coach David Blatt and replaced him with Tyronn Lue. He also plugged holes with veterans like Richard Jefferson, Channing Frye and Kyle Korver.
• Gilbert met Tuesday with former All-Star guard Chauncey Billups about a position in the team’s front office, a person familiar with the encounter told the Associated Press.
Billups does not have any front-office experience, so it’s likely he would fill an executive role alongside a new GM.
HAWKS-HORNETS TRADE: Atlanta has agreed to trade Dwight Howard to Charlotte, according to multiple reports.
Charlotte will send Miles Plumlee, Marco Belinelli and the 41st pick in the draft to Atlanta for Howard and the 31st pick, ESPN reported.
Howard averaged 13.5 points and 12.7 rebounds per game in his lone season with Atlanta. He signed a three-year, $70.5 million deal with the Hawks last July.
LAKERS-NETS TRADE: Three people with knowledge of the deal say Los Angeles has agreed to trade point guard D’Angelo Russell and high-priced center Timofey Mozgov to Brooklyn for big man Brook Lopez and the 27th overall pick in the upcoming draft.
The Lakers’ new front office led by Magic Johnson appears to be sacrificing Russell, the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft, to clear salary cap space eaten up by the four-year, $64 million deal given to Mozgov last year by the previous regime. Russell averaged 15.6 points and 4.8 assists last season.
BULLS: Dwyane Wade has told the team he is exercising his $23.8 million option for next season, according to a person familiar with the situation.
Wade, who turns 36 in January, averaged 18.3 points on 43 percent shooting last season.
SPURS: Pau Gasol declined his $16 million player option for next season, but intends to sign a longer-term deal with the team, says a person with knowledge of the situation.
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