LeBron James went to practice on Friday with a very different Cleveland Cavaliers team around him. Gone were Channing Frye, Dwyane Wade, Isaiah Thomas and Channing Crowder. Those four players all went to new teams on Thursday, a seismic shift in the roster that revolves around James.
James spoke with the media on Friday for more than eight minutes, commenting on the deadline that was and the big changes for the Cavs.
“I like the pieces that we have coming in,” James said, noting that it’s his job to get his new teammates on the same page as the rest of the team. But the most notable thing he said on Friday was about his former teammate, Isaiah Thomas.
James was asked why he thought Thomas didn’t work in Cleveland at the 7:48 mark of the video.
“I want Isaiah to get his bounce back, get his spring back, get healthy,” James said on Friday. “Being out seven months is difficult for anybody.”
While he pivoted the initial answer for a bit, he did eventually give his thoughts on what went wrong: Thomas just never caught up to game speed.
“I just feel like he was playing behind the eight ball, not only on the floor but just trying to get himself back to where he’s accustomed to playing,” James said. “I wish the best for him in LA right now and his future.”
James certainly isn’t wrong, but he didn’t address any of the finger pointing that plagued the Cavaliers in IT’s final days with the franchise. It seems like everyone was ready for a fresh start for him, and maybe it will work out for the best.
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