Quote:
|
ESPN just said that Ricky Davis will be inactive for tomorrow nights Cavs game. Cavs listed official reason for Inactivating Davis as "unspecified". A deal is probably done already.
|
Cavs' Silas benches Davis for a few days
By TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer
November 24, 2003
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Cavaliers guard Ricky Davis has been benched for a few days by coach Paul Silas, who won't say why his player is in trouble again.
Davis, who has a history of clashes with Silas dating to their time together in Charlotte, was not allowed to practice with the Cavaliers on Monday and will not accompany the team on their trip to play at New Orleans on Wednesday.
Silas refused to give any specifics on his reasons for punishing Davis, who is averaging 15.3 points.
``That's my decision,'' Silas said. ``We're dealing with some issues. That's all I have to say. I've dealt with issues before with guys and we'll deal with these and move on.''
Cavaliers general manager Jim Paxson was equally vague in explaining why the team was disciplining Davis -- and reserve forward Michael Stewart -- and keeping them away from the team for the next three days.
Paxson said the players have not been suspended, and he would not comment when asked if they had been fined.
``They're not with the team right now,'' Paxson said. ``They're not with the team for practice and through the game in New Orleans.''
While Davis' situation was unclear, the Cavs suspended forward Ira Newble one game for his profanity-laced argument with Silas following the Cavaliers' loss on Saturday night in Atlanta.
Newble and Silas began arguing in the coach's office and had it spill out into the hallway after the 6-foot-7 forward stormed out and slammed the door.
Newble, who signed with the Cavaliers as a free agent in the offseason after playing with the Hawks, apologized to Silas and his teammates before Monday's practice.
``I was wrong,'' he said. ``I felt like I was out of line, but we're all frustrated right now -- we're 4-10. The main thing right now is that we have to stay together.''
Newble said Silas' punishment was fair.
``It's just. He has to make a stand,'' Newble said. ``I disrespected his authority, but we're going to put it behind us.''
Silas, who is in his first season with Cleveland, said he and Newble have patched things up.
``It was the heat of the moment. It happens,'' Silas said.
He may not be as forgiving with Davis.
On Saturday night, Silas benched Davis for the final 11 minutes as the Cavaliers lost their 29th straight road game. It was the second time in three games that Silas has sat Davis for an extended period.
The benching came amid speculation that the Cavaliers are attempting to trade the five-year veteran, who still has five years left on a six-year, $34 million deal he signed before last season.
Paxson dismissed any deals for Davis as rumor.
``If I was trying to trade him, he'd be traded,'' he said. ``If we could improve our team, we would trade anybody. You are not doing your job unless you're pursuing opportunities with any of your players.''
Silas, hired by the Cavaliers in June to help turn around a young team that went 17-65 last season, said discipline is part of building a winner.
``When you have situations, you deal with them,'' he said. ``That's what I've always done and that's what I'll always do. You make decisions and you live with them -- right or wrong.''