One reader wonders if the U.S. Olympic team's issues with James hints at deeper problems during his time with the Cavs.
LeBron James could have many moods on and off the court, but reports of strife between James and the U.S. Olympic Team does not necessarily reflect the relationship between James and the Cavaliers before his departure, says Brian Windhorst.Hey, Brian: I was taken aback by your comment that you had reported "many times" on how "moody" LeBron James could be. I don't think "moody" even remotely describes his loathsome behavior now coming to light with the Cavs and the Olympics team. I have gotten no such sense from the Cavaliers' coverage of how bad things were with James. -- Norman Cox, Indianapolis
Hey, Norman: I don't believe James' behavior as a Cav was ever "loathsome." Something that was an issue with the Olympic team was his reluctance to accept the sort of leadership role the coaches expected of him. This was covered in regular reporting and then in great detail in the book I authored with Terry Pluto on James' development into an MVP that was co-published by The Plain Dealer. The coverage of James over the last seven years, in Cleveland and from the outside, has been as comprehensive as any athlete in pro sports. As I've written before and will continue to: whatever issues there were with James, the Cavs were more than ready to re-sign him for six more years. Whether or not he's can be a champion is yet to be seen. But what he brings massively outweighs any downsides.
Hey, Brian: I understand the Cavs begrudgingly accepted a trade and sign with the Miami Heat for LeBron James. By doing so they received a trade exception from the Heat which I understand can be a valuable chip in future deals. Can you explain what this exactly is and how they might use it in the future? -- Leslie Marchak, Sagamore Hills
Hey, Leslie: The trade exception is for $14.5 million. It is good until July 10, 2011. It means the Cavs can absorb a player(s) to their team making as much as $18.2 million based on the current trade rules. The exception can be used in whole or part. If it is used in part, then the leftover portion becomes a new exception and re-starts the one-year clock. It is important to know the exception cannot be combined with players to make a trade. There are many ways to use it and the Cavs will likely be patient with it.
Hey, Brian: It seems to me that second-round draft picks rarely amount to anything. Why are the Cavs apparently collecting them? -- Tom Fistek, University Heights
Hey, Tom: Mark Price, John "Hot Rod" Williams, Carlos Boozer and Mo Williams are just examples of second-round draft picks who played for the Cavs and became stars. The examples litter the NBA. But just as important, second-round picks can be used in trades. Which may not sound like much, but when you have a trade exception they can become valuable assets in swaps.
Hey, Brian: ESPN was running a story last week quoting a source inside the Cavs' organization who said Shaquille O'Neal was a "nightmare" in the locker room. This was the first time I ever read that. Can you elaborate on the topic? -- Christopher Matthies, Germany
Hey, Christopher: Based on all my personal experience and discussion with players and coaches, this is not true. O'Neal accepted his role and mentored some younger players. He was in a position on the team he was not familiar with. His injury frustrated him and when he returned in the playoffs playing time issues caused some friction. O'Neal, like several players, wasn't happy with the situation. But the Cavs felt his attitude was a plus for most of the season.
Hey, Brian: I follow basketball pretty closely and I'm wondering why I haven't heard any news about the Cavs having any interest in Rudy Fernandez from Portland. He clearly wants out of there, he's an young, athletic wing who would fit well into Coach Scott's up-tempo system and he has a pretty inexpensive contract. Is it a character issue, does Portland want too much in return or something else? -- Lenny, Ohio
Hey, Lenny: The major sticking point is the Blazers want a first-round draft pick for Fernandez and the Cavs are interested in getting more first-round picks, not trading them away. Fernandez is a good shooter but has regularly complained to Spanish media about his role, has left the impression that he's not the toughest player on the floor and reportedly has been trying to force his way to certain teams (especially the Knicks) via trade. Some players are worth such baggage. But a guy with six career starts and a 9.4 scoring average and 39 percent on 3-pointers? Not sure about that.
-- Brian