CLEVELAND: Cavaliers owners Dan Gilbert lost at least $40 million last season, according to one report, and might have lost even more.
As LeBron James and the Cavs battle this week over James questioning the organization’s desire to win another ring, Forbes reported last year’s championship cost the owner $40 million. One league source with knowledge of the ledger said Friday the losses were actually closer to $50 million. Gilbert paid $54 million in luxury taxes last season.
James was asked Friday about his relationship with Gilbert.
“He’s the owner of the team, I’m one of the players on the team,” James said. “I think all 14 guys have a working relationship with our owner. It’s not about me and it’s not about him, so it’s a non-issue.”
Charles Barkley was critical of James during Thursday’s popular TNT studio show for asking for more help despite the league’s largest payroll and claimed James doesn’t like to compete, a comment that upset Shaquille O’Neal — James’ former teammate.
Lue also said that idea is simply not true.
“LeBron is the ultimate competitor,” Lue said. “He wants to win and when you want to win you want to get more guys in and make the team better along with myself, David Griffin and Dan Gilbert. Everyone wants to make the team better and you’re always looking for ways to do that.
“I said it before, Golden State won 73 games last year and they go and add Kevin Durant. You always want to get better if you can. Right now we’re not at that point so we have to play and go with what we have right now. As far as him not being a competitor because he wants more players, that doesn’t make sense.”
Old man’s game
James is only 32, yet he’ll be the oldest All-Star in New Orleans next month on both teams. James will also be without his good friends Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade, none of whom made the cut.
“Obviously it sucks not having my guys there that I’ve spent so many All-Star weekends with,” James said. “For me personally, it’s an honor to be able to represent this franchise, represent my family. Like I said, I’m doing something right. I just want to try to continue that.”
James isn’t sure yet how much he’ll play in the game Feb. 19. He spent the second half of last year’s game hanging out on the bench with his kids.
“I don’t take it for granted, the whole weekend,” he said. “I don’t know exactly what I’m going to do, but I won’t disrespect the game.”
Kevin Love will join James and Kyrie Irving for All-Star weekend. It will be Love’s first All-Star Game since coming to Cleveland in 2014. Love was selected by the coaches as a reserve.
Wardrobe malfunction
Lue wore a bow tie Friday in honor of the late Michael Goldberg, the former executive of the NBA coaches’ union who died this week at 73. Bow ties were a staple of Goldberg’s, and coaches have been wearing them this week to honor him.
Lue, however, couldn’t figure out how to tie it and had to call on radio analyst Jim Chones to help him since Chones frequently wears them.
Jason Lloyd can be reached at jlloyd@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Cavs blog at www.ohio.com/cavs. Follow him on Twitter www.twitter.com/JasonLloydABJ.