INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — The Cavaliers' season of seasons, the one supposed to end Cleveland's tortured 46-year title drought, ended without a parade or King James' coronation as a champion.
It's over.
The pain endures, though. And it may only worsen.
Superstar LeBron James hasn't bolted as a free agent for New York or Chicago or Los Angeles or New Jersey or (fill in your favorite NBA city here) — at least not yet. And Cavs Coach Mike Brown hasn't been fired — at least not yet. General Manager Danny Ferry still has his job, too.
That three-ring circus hasn't opened.
One day after their title run was snuffed by a more focused Boston team on the Celtics' famed parquet floor, and with two-time MVP James' impending free agency looming on the horizon, the Cavaliers began piecing together what went wrong.
It hurt.
"It's one of those things that you can't believe it after it's happened," shellshocked owner Dan Gilbert said.
Reality hit hard on Friday as the organization and Cavaliers fans faced Day One of the Summer of LeBron, which wasn't supposed to arrive until mid-June. But it's here and it's going to be stormy.
Showing the wear and tear of a late night after the Cavs lost Game 6, Gilbert said his emotions were too raw, the wounds too new to begin reshaping a franchise now dealing with an uncertain future tied directly to whether it can re-sign James, whose recruitment by other cities began with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg saying he may give him a "big sales pitch."
Gilbert wasn't amused.
"I would think Mayor Bloomberg has better things to do than that," said Gilbert, who contends the Cavs remain the best fit for James.
Gilbert refuted a report on SI.com that he had already fired Brown, who despite having the game's best player and a roster upgraded this season with the additions of All-Stars Shaquille O'Neal and Antawn Jamison, failed to take his team as far as it went last season.
Brown has one year remaining on a contract extension he signed after taking the Cavaliers to their first NBA finals in 2007. He's 314-167 in five seasons with Cleveland.
Cavs say James was hurt
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — Cleveland Cavaliers General Manager Danny Ferry says the elbow injury that bothered LeBron James during the NBA playoffs was bad enough that the team would have rested him during the regular season.
James was diagnosed with a sprained elbow and bone bruise. He said earlier this week that the elbow was "an issue" he would take care of in the off-season.
Hawks fire Woodson
ATLANTA — Mike Woodson is out as coach of the Atlanta Hawks after the team was swept in the second round of the playoffs by the Orlando Magic.
General Manager Rick Sund said Friday the team will not offer Woodson a new contract. He coached the Hawks for six seasons, and they improved their record every year after managing just 13 wins in his debut.
Atlanta won 53 games this season, the most since 1996-97, and captured the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. But that wasn't enough to save Woodson's job.
Sund held a morning meeting with Woodson to inform him of the team's decision. Woodson declined to comment on his ouster.
Jackson mocks Nash
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Lakers Coach Phil Jackson thinks the Phoenix Suns' star point guard sometimes plays a bit too much like a running back.
With a mischievous grin, Jackson said Friday that it's tough for Los Angeles to prepare to face Steve Nash during defensive practice because of the two-time MVP's style with the basketball.
"Yeah, because you can't carry the ball like he does in practice," Jackson said. "You can't pick that ball up and run with it."
Jackson turned his palm over while he spoke, making the officials' gesture for palming of the basketball.
