CLEVELAND: The Cavaliers’ home is about to get an expensive and extensive face-lift. When it’s complete, the NBA All-Star Game will be returning to Cleveland.
The Cavs and the city of Cleveland announced a $140 million renovation project to transform the inside and outside of Quicken Loans Arena. Ownership will pick up $70 million, while the city, Cuyahoga County and Destination Cleveland will pay for the other half.
The terms of the plans still must be approved by both the county and city councils and Destination Cleveland’s board of directors.
The arena will remain open during construction, which will begin next year and take about three years to complete. The renovation includes a glass front and more public gathering places. The team will extend its lease with the arena through 2034.
“The NBA is very supportive of the Quicken Loans Arena transformation project, which we believe will greatly benefit the entire Cleveland community,” NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum said.
“We understand the impact this project will have in continuing the great momentum we have all seen recently in the city. We look forward to holding our week of NBA All-Star events in Cleveland in the near future following the successful completion of The Q transformation project.”
The city and team, in a joint statement, said the average life for facilities today is about 22 years. The Q is 23 years old, and the cost to build new arenas is from $500 million to $750 million.
Close ties
Grizzlies rookie coach David Fizdale credited former Cavs coach Mike Brown for getting him his start in the NBA. Fizdale and Brown were teammates at the University of San Diego and Brown used his connections to Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who also played in the West Coast Conference at the University of Portland, to land Fizdale an internship. He worked his way onto Spoelstra’s coaching staff and earned the respect and admiration of LeBron James.
“We stay in close touch. Mike is a major mentor in my life,” Fizdale said. “I wouldn’t even be in this business if it wasn’t for Mike. … Mike and I keep very close tabs on each other and we’re like family.”
Fizdale also remains close to James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, but doesn’t believe James will enter coaching when he’s done playing.
“He would kill somebody. Perfection is like [his standard]. He wants perfection,” Fizdale said. “I could see him actually owning his own team and doing something like that, but I think he would end up killing a player at some point because they wouldn’t live up to the expectations that he would set forth.
“But just as a mentor or a guy that is just going to groom players, I don’t know if you’ll ever find anyone better than he and D-Wade and Chris Bosh and those guys I was with down there. They were incredible leaders and basketball geniuses. So I was very lucky to be a part of that.”
Dribbles
J.R. Smith moved into 14th place on the all-time list of 3-pointers. He passed Dale Ellis, who retired with 1,719. … Kevin Love became the fifth active player with 800 career 3-pointers and 6,000 rebounds. He began the night 71 points shy of 10,000 for his career. … The Cavs and Grizzlies will complete a home-and-home Wednesday when the Cavs play at Memphis.