Cavs reportedly seeing Dan Gilbert over the weekend seemed to be huge for both

The Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly spent time with team owner Dan Gilbert over the weekend, who is progressing along in his recovery after the stroke he suffered back in May, and that was seemingly a huge lift for both the team and its owner.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are a team that’s likely in for a season filled with a bunch of losses in 2019-20, considering they are going to be playing a considerable amount of young players big minutes, and with them having a roster with several expiring veterans, their roster turnover throughout the year could very well be significant.

The team understanding that they need to be primarily focused on their rebuild is the right outlook, though.

More from King James Gospel

• 3 possible starting lineups for Cleveland Cavaliers in 2023-24
• The Cavaliers may have snagged a hidden gem in Craig Porter Jr.
• 4 players the Cavaliers should pursue in 2024 free agency
• 6 players Cavaliers might replace Jarrett Allen with by the trade deadline
• This stat is one to keep an eye on for Cavaliers’ Max Strus in years ahead

Plus, it’s an added positive that Cavs owner, Dan Gilbert, who is progressing along in his recovery from a reported stroke back in May, is more than willing to help the Cavaliers accelerate their rebuild by giving the organization the green light to take back bad contract money in potential trades of expiring veterans throughout next season in order for Cleveland to have additional future draft picks, such as how they did throughout the 2018-19 season.

Gilbert has always seemed to be more than willing to help the team in every way possible both in adding more picks in the team’s prior rebuild pre-LeBron James return, and in contending years, and now him giving current general manager Koby Altman and the front office the go-ahead to get more picks if possible is again, really nice to hear as a Cavs fan.

What’s also some encouraging news is that after the Cleveland Cavaliers’ narrow loss to the Detroit Pistons Friday in their second preseason game, the whole team reportedly spent time with Gilbert in his home in Franklin, Michigan on Saturday and even had a quick walkthrough at the basketball court at Gilbert’s home which was predicated on the team preparing for the Boston Celtics, the team they would play on Sunday, according to Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor, and it’s clear that the visit was a huge lift for both sides.

Fedor touched on what the team thought about it, according to a source.

"“It was uplifting,” a source said about the visit. “Very, very positive. Dan is getting better. It was a great day.”"

From there, Fedor would also emphasize how when Gilbert spoke to the squad, “he provided inspiration and showed his support for the coaching staff, front office and players, pointing to the positive vibe currently felt when it comes to the organization’s future.”

With the regular season getting under way very soon on Oct. 23 against the Orlando Magic for the Cavaliers, this visit with their owner, who is working his way back from his stroke, had to be really meaningful, and I’m sure it meant a ton to Gilbert and his family to be with the team, who did not leave right after their game as they normally would after a road game (as Fedor hit on) and went on to Boston obviously later on.

Gilbert, who reportedly returned to his home near Detroit to continue on in his recovery after spending a few months in a Chicago rehabilitation center after his stroke, seemed to be getting there mentally, based on what Cavs star big man Kevin Love, who really enjoyed the visit, said, as was transcribed by Fedor (and h/t Cavaliers Nation’s Brad Sullivan), and these comments by one of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ key leaders are again, really encouraging.

"“Thought it was great,” Kevin Love told cleveland.com prior to Sunday’s game against Boston. “He seems to be in a lot better shape and his mind is really sharp.“I hope it meant a lot to him and his family that we went over there and guys will continue to keep in contact with him.”"

Though the Cavaliers, who did not play a ton of key players due to rest (in Love’s case) and reported minor injuries that made it unnecessary to risk anything in preseason, would get obliterated by Boston 118-72 and have 27 turnovers (per ESPN) on Sunday in large part because of a lack of chemistry and playing their training camp invitees in stretches, the visit with the 57-year-old Gilbert was clearly a big positive for the team and I’m sure Gilbert and his family.

Fedor also highlighted how Cleveland Cavaliers head coach John Beilein touched on how the visit was to show “great appreciation” to Gilbert, who is fully behind the team in every way, and with how Gilbert is fighting his way back from this stroke at this time, I would think that only sets even more of the right example for the team as to how to keep a positive outlook when challenges lie ahead.

With the Cleveland Cavaliers, who were only 19-63 last season, likely having plenty of challenges ahead in the 2019-20 season due to playing young players big minutes and with potential roster turnover, it I’m sure paid dividends for them to see their owner’s great mindset in a really tough time for him, and could be more motivation for the team in what could very well be a long season filled with L’s.

A key part of the Cavs’ core moving forward, big Larry Nance Jr., had this to say regarding the time spent with Gilbert (as transcribed by Fedor), and this just proved how much Gilbert means to the organization and that the team’s visit was probably so meaningful to Gilbert, especially with the season right around the corner.

"“I think it was super important,” Larry Nance Jr. said of the visit. “For years, he’s been lifting this team up and doing so much for the entire city of Cleveland. We got to see him and hopefully put a smile on his face with everything he has been dealing with and just go give him some words of inspiration.“Let him know that we need him back.”"

Hopefully Gilbert and his family will be able to see the Cavaliers play soon, and it’s uncertain as to when Gilbert will be up for that, as the aforementioned Sullivan hit on.

With the regular season rapidly approaching and with preseason wrapping up on Tuesday against the Celtics, though, it was really encouraging to hear from a motivational perspective, both from the Cavs’ team and Gilbert’s perspective, that the two had that visit on Saturday.

Once again, I hope Gilbert is back and fully recovered soon.

As Nance expressed after the visit, the team does of course want Gilbert back for his support.