The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Cavaliers disappointed to not be part of restart
Team ‘disappointed’ to not be part of NBA restart
The Cavaliers are one of eight teams not invited to the party at Walt Disney Resort in Orlando, Fla.
As expected, the NBA Board of Governors on June 4 approved a plan to resume the season next month with 22 teams, and, as expected the Cavaliers are not happy to be left out in the cold.
The Cavaliers are one of eight teams not invited to the party at Walt Disney Resort in Orlando, Fla., because they, like the other seven teams, have no chance to make a playoff run. The plan calls for the 22 participating teams to play eight regular season games beginning July 31 to set up the eight-team playoff bracket in each conference. The Cavaliers (19-46) have the worst record in the East.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on March 12 suspended the season because of the novel coronavirus.
“While we are disappointed that the announced return to play proposal excludes the Cleveland Cavaliers, we understand all of the unprecedented factors that contributed to this outcome and we accept the hard decisions Commissioner Adam Silver and the NBA’s Board of Governors had to make,” Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman and Coach J.B. Bickerstaff said in a joint statement. “We also respect the exhaustive and life-altering measures that were considered as a result of COVID-19, but as a team, we greatly desired to be a part of the season’s resumption.
“We were hopeful to be granted the opportunity to continue the 2019-20 season and join our counterparts in Orlando to further the development of our young team in meaningful basketball games, and also feed off the positive momentum we had built prior to the league shutdown on March 11. Collectively, our players want to compete at the highest level and we will unquestionably use this as added motivation as we continue working towards a sustainable culture of winning.”
The Cavaliers were 5-6 under Bickerstaff, who took over as head coach when first-year coach John Beilein resigned during the All-Star break when the Cavaliers were 14-40. They were 10-35 in Beilein’s last 45 games.
The Cavaliers organization also addressed the end to the Cavaliers’ season in a statement.
“While we are disappointed that the season has come to an end and would have preferred to continue playing, we respect the extreme complexities involved and understand the league’s recommendation and decision,” the statement read. “We remain proud of the way our players, coaches and entire organization has faced this incredibly challenging time.
“So much of what we’ve learned about our team and ourselves as an organization during this journey, though, has nothing to do with basketball and everything
to do with love, character, community and our culture. All of which are things we will continue to amplify.”
Altman and Bickerstaff in their statement also addressed the Cavaliers’ role in the community during these times of civil unrest.
“Although the time away from our incredible fan base in Cleveland and across Northeast Ohio is unfortunate, we look forward to finding ways to continue utilizing our platform and available resources to reach out in our community to help affect change and take sustainable action in the fight against racial injustice,” the statement read. “We are looking forward to returning to the court for the 2020-21 NBA season.”
The Board of Governors also determined the lottery to determine draft order will be held Aug. 25. The draft is set for Oct. 15 and the start of free agency Oct. 18. The 2020-21 season is set to start Dec. 1.
The players association is scheduled to vote on the plan on June 5.