Shaw: Ferry realized he was caught between a desperate owner and a irreplacable superstar.
Danny Ferry, shown in happier times with owner Dan Gilbert, has resigned as GM of the Cavaliers.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In resigning Friday, Danny Ferry leaves at a time when owner Dan Gilbert must entice LeBron James to stay -- any way, any how -- or suffer a significant loss in the value of the franchise.
If you were a GM who felt strongly about steering your own ship, the unchartered territory the Cavs suddenly find themselves in would be the defintion of troubled waters.
Don't forget that Ferry would've passed on the Cavs' job five years ago without full authority to run the organization.
Who's calling the shots on a coach to replace Mike Brown? How about on personnel upgrades to get this franchise over the top?
I think it's reasonable to conclude Ferry saw an obvious usurping of his authority about to take place.
Was he forced out? If so, Gilbert better have already come up with a terrific Plan B because whatever mistakes Ferry made his good work more than made up for them.
I think it's more likely Ferry saw the position he was in -- caught between a desperate owner and a irreplacable superstar. If LeBron James wants the seats at The Q painted with his face on each one, Gilbert would have to consider it.
Ferry couldn't have been thrilled with the firing of Brown. But I don't think that was the deal breaker alone. He's played the game. He had to see some of the issues this team had offensively under Brown. He had to see how the distance between Brown and James grew in recent seasons and especially during these playoffs.
Ferry brought in Antawn Jamison and had to notice that Jamison got lost in the Cavaliers' mix during the Boston series. If they ran any plays for Jamison, I didn't notice.
Head coach became a chip in the poker game to keep James as soon as this team took a nose dive against Boston. Ferry had to understand that. So I don't think the firing of Brown was it.
But it was a first step toward convincing him that the parameters of the job he signed on for five years ago were undergoing signficiant and irreversible change.