Cleveland Cavalier coach John Beilein is in hot water after referring to his players as "a bunch of thugs."
During a film session on Wednesday, Beilein suggested his players were playing "like a bunch of thugs" which caused them to become stunned and unsettled. Beilein later said he meant to say "slugs."
The players were preparing for a six-day road trip when the supposed mishap occurred. The team has been having a streak of bad luck, losing five games reports WKYC. The team is currently 10-27 this season.
Beilein was frustrated about the players' lack of proper decision-making skills and their lackluster execution.
Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman was kept abreast of the incident and reached out to Beilein late Wednesday for an explanation.
Using the word toward a team comprised of a majority of Black players can have catastrophic effects. It also doesn't help matters that Beilein hasn't gelled well with some of the team members. Many aren't fans of his coaching style, and some players are seeking to be traded, as is the case for Kevin Love, CBS Sports reports.
Beilein quickly tried to explain himself in the aftermath of his words by contacting the players.
"I didn't realize that I had said the word 'thugs,' but my staff told me later I did and so I must have said it, I meant to say slugs, as in slow-moving. We weren't playing hard before, and now we were playing harder. I meant it as a compliment. That's what I was trying to say. I've already talked to eight of my players tonight, and they are telling me that they understand," the coach told ESPN.
A plan of allowing veteran players to be traded has been set in motion. This will hopefully allow the team to be rebuilt from the ground up.
Upon Beilein's hiring, Dan Gilbert, the owner of the Cavaliers, rained praises upon the long-time coach. Nonetheless, Gilbert is known to fire coaches that are not up to par. He abruptly fired Mike Brown after coaching for one season and David Blatt halfway through coaching his second season.
"We could not be more thrilled to name John Beilein as the new coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers. First, John is a great human being. He cares deeply about his players and others who work for him and around him. He defines the words class, integrity and character. He is a tireless worker who obsesses about finding better ways and the inches that will help his team and the organization grow. John is a brilliant basketball mind and last but not least, John Beilein is a winner," Gilbert expressed.
The Cavaliers are set to play the Pistons in Detroit on Thursday.
Before coaching the Cavaliers, Beilein coached at the University of Michigan. His career highlights include representing USA Basketball as a court coach in 2009 and serving as an assistant coach for the 2013 World University Games in Kazan, Russia.
The coach has thus far completed one year out of a five-year contract. It is unclear if Beilein will face any disciplinary action.
Watch a clip around the brouhaha below:
