So, no one on the team has a clue regarding which guys (plural) he is talking about, but it’s all on IT?
Exactly. It's like people forget there were locker room issues in Cleveland this year before Thomas even returned to the floor. This is something that has been going on since October.
I have to agree. Jumping to the conclusion that after just three games IT is the one person that Lue is talking about is unfair to IT and probably wrong. Isaiah hasn't even had time to acclimate himself to the team in game situations yet.
I can't believe that no one is discussing Thompson, Wade, Smith, or even Lebron.
I don't see where the "agenda" narrative would come from with those guys, though. With IT there's a clear "agenda" that can be pinpointed, but what would that mean for the other guys? This is especially true given the context of Lue's quote talking about sharing the basketball offensively, which is in line with what IT's "agenda" would be.
The only other guy that I could see Lue targeting directly would be Lebron, given the report from Vardon regarding the team being unhappy with Lebron potentially being selfish with his passes. However, given their relationship it's hard for me to see Lue targeting Lebron via the media in that manner, even implicitly.
And yet, Shams Charania says that the Cavs want IT to shoot more, not less, and that they’re happy with his progress.
Around the Cavaliers, there are no worries: Thomas will find his way, but must continue to be aggressive. There had been moments he passed when teammates expected him to shoot, almost second-guessing his shot selection rather than sticking to his gut and true game.
So, IT’s “agenda” seems to be a CelticsBlog driven narrative, not a real one.
So, you're telling me that a team is putting out a positive spin on a new, All-Star level player that they are just now working into the rotation mid-season after a significant injury, all while trying to keep one of the best players in the generation here next summer? This is unprecedented!
I mean, what else are they supposed to say: "Naw, IT needs to shoot less (because he brings to the table so much more from a basketball perspective), and we're not happy with his progress!"
And regardless of whether you want to believe it, IT's "agenda" has been clear for the last year or so with his constant discussion of Brinks trucks, getting paid, and his next contract. It's also a big reason why he's now in Cleveland rather than in Boston. He's quite simply the most obvious candidate to apply to the "agenda" narrative.