The Cleveland Cavaliers and General Manager Koby Altman have agreed to a contract extension according to an official team press release. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski had the news first.
Cleveland Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman has agreed to a long-term contract extension, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 1, 2019
Altman was named the team’s general manager in 2017, following a puzzling sequence that saw David Griffin part ways with the organization. Since then, 37-year-old has been forced into two very different frames of mind regarding the direction of the Cavs. His first order of business was trading disgruntled Kyrie Irving, followed by trying to re-tool a roster midway through LeBron James’ eventual last season in Cleveland. Altman then turned a 180 and had to start a rebuild with very few assets and cap space. So, to say things have been trying is an understatement.
Given that, the Cavaliers are on the road to recovery. With good trades and careful maneuvering of the cap, Altman earned the extension by treading through a difficult situation.
“Koby has been a culture-driver and an innovator who has built a fresh, new foundation and environment for our front office and team that inspires everyone involved,” said Cavaliers Chairman Dan Gilbert via the team’s press release. “He is a passionate leader who is executing a very dynamic, strategic plan for the future of the team and our vision for growth and success. Koby’s collaborative approach has also extended beyond the team and had a consistent, positive impact across our entire organization. I look forward to seeing his hard work and creativity continue to make us better and help guide the team towards reaching our goals for years to come.”
Cleveland is in year two of an expectedly-lengthy rebuild, but the moves made by Koby Altman have helped move that along. With very little wiggle room from a salary cap perspective, the Cavs have positioned themselves to have flexibility next offseason with the prospect of adding another bluechip prospect in the NBA Draft. Cavaliers team owner Dan Gilbert has never given an extension to any of his general managers (Danny Ferry, Chris Grant, David Griffin for example), but Altman has been the lone exception. With a new contract and a vote of confidence from ownership, the rebuild can continue with the front office in place.
