The torrid array of moves the Cleveland Cavaliers were able to pull off one after another went as far as being qualified as a “grand slam” by general manager Koby Altman, instead of merely a home run by other executives around the league.
Even his best player, LeBron James, lauded Altman’s effort to string together three straight trades to completely revamp this elder Cavs roster and inject the fountain of youth right into them with hours left in the trade deadline.
The Cavs have now won four games in a row and head into the All-Star break with plenty of steam, hard-charging into the Boston Celtics, who are still five games ahead in the Eastern Conference race.
“I think Koby did a heck of a job of understanding what our team needed,” James said, according to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. “It just wasn’t working out for us and he felt like, obviously you guys saw his quotes, he made the changes that he felt best fits our team. Then it’s on me to make sure the new guys that come in, I make sure they fit in and make it as seamless as possible.”
James has indeed taken it upon himself to be the welcoming committee the likes of George Hill, Rodney Hood, Jordan Clarkson, and Larry Nance Jr. needed upon arriving to The Land.
The foursome has jelled right into Tyronn Lue’s equation and produced even faster than expected, with the All-Star Weekend break coming perhaps at the most beneficial time, as they get more acquainted with this new system.