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LeBron James said he was "surprised and caught off guard" when the Cleveland Cavaliers fired head coach David Blatt on Friday. James, addressing reporters Saturday morning, stressed he did not influence the Cavs' decision to replace Blatt with assistant Tyronn Lue despite the team leading the Eastern Conference with a 30-11 record.
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At Friday's news conference, Cavaliers general manager David Griffin said the four-time MVP "doesn't run this organization."
James said Saturday he was not involved with the decision despite the perception of his impact on coaching decisions.
"That's not my concern," James said. "I found out about it just like every other player on this team at 3:30 yesterday. ... I think (Griffin) was right on everything he said. ... Like it or love it or hate it, we got to respect it."
James reportedly was not a supporter of Blatt from the outset and team officials were aware of his sentiments.
But a source close to James told ESPN's Dave McMenamin that James "didn't know this was coming" before Griffin gathered the Cavs at the practice facility on Friday to inform them that Blatt had been fired.
"For me, I can't get caught up and worried about what other people are thinking," James said. "I stopped doing that a long time ago in my career. ... The only thing I can worry about is how I can get these guys better prepared and we can play better basketball."
James has a strong relationship with Lue and often consulted with him on strategy during games.
"We've been friends since I was 17 years old, but at the end of the day, he's still the coach and I'm underneath him," James said. "He will coach me and push me, and I'll listen to everything he has to say and go from there. Don't try to make it a story of why me and Coach Lue are so tight. I think it's a lot of coaches and players that's close in this league. It just happened to be me."
Lue is in his second season with the Cavaliers after being hired as the associate head coach in June 2014. He was previously an assistant coach on Doc Rivers' staff with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Lue also spoke to the media Saturday and was asked about his relationship with James.
"Me and Bron were friends before when I played. We had a great relationship then," Lue said. "But what you guys don't understand from what you see is that when the players are coming and talking to me as an assistant coach, like, I'm the defensive coordinator. So if guys are getting scored on or guys are in the wrong spots or guys are not doing the right thing defensively, they come and talk to me because I'm in charge of the defense."
Lue played 11 seasons in the NBA after being a first-round pick of the Denver Nuggets. Griffin noted the history of great coaches whom Lue played under, including Phil Jackson, Rivers, Stan Van Gundy and Jeff Van Gundy.
Rivers said he had mixed emotions about the Cavs' moves.
"Blatt's a heck of a coach and is doing a heck of a job," Rivers said Friday night. "He had the most scrutinized job that you could possibly have. I think the reward for coaching LeBron is you get scrutinized. It really is. It's hard. You have a great record, the best in the East, and you get fired for it. Unfortunately, being in this as long as I've been in it, you see it all the time. It's happened to me. It's tough. I'm happy for Ty, but not this way. It's the life of a coach in it and the guy on the sideline like I am. It's a tough one."
Blatt had an 83-40 regular-season record as coach of the Cavaliers.
"I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to serve as the Head Coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers," Blatt said in a statement Friday night. "I'd like to thank (owner) Dan Gilbert and David Griffin for giving me this opportunity and am honored to have worked with an amazing group of players from LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love through our entire roster. I'd also like to express my extreme gratitude to my coaching staff. I am indebted to them for their professionalism, hard work, loyalty and friendship. I am proud of what we have accomplished since I have been the Head Coach and wish the Cavaliers nothing but the best this season and beyond."
