The Cleveland Cavaliers would not be in the position they are in without the crafty front office work of general manager David Griffin. LeBron James certainly recognizes this. James has not been shy in voicing his desire for the Cavaliers to keep Griffin in Cleveland, but other teams are expected to pursue the executive. According to Sam Amico, who cites league sources, James is becoming more and more forward in his desire for Griffin to get a new contract from the Cavs.
LeBron voiced his opinion on the matter early last month, giving Griffin his endorsement. “It makes no sense why he (Griffin) shouldn’t get an extension.” James said. “He’s pulled every move — he’s tried to make every move happen — to better this team to be able to compete for a championship. So we wouldn’t be in this position, obviously, without him and without the guys that are here — from the coaching staff to the players to Griff. He’s been a big piece of it.”
Griffin is a free agent this summer after failing to agree to an extension this past summer. The maestro of the Cavs championship roster is expected to be highly sought after, with the Magic just one of the teams expecting to be in pursuit. LeBron knows that Griffin has a firm grasp on what is necessary to win, and he wants to make sure he stays in Cleveland. James is continuing to ramp up his efforts to assure ownership gives Griffin the contract he desires, which undoubtedly puts pressure on Gilbert.
What exactly has Griffin done in his time with Cleveland? Well the list is long. He took over for Chris Grant, who was fired in 2014. Expecting to rebuild a roster around Kyrie Irving and Andrew Wiggins, Griffin was promptly handed the best player in the league and forced to step on the gas. He proceeded to trade for Kevin Love and revamp the bench with the likes of J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert, Channing Frye, and Kyle Korver. The Cavaliers are transformed and in the driver’s seat of the Eastern Conference largely due to the moves Griffin has made.
