Livid LeBron sounds off after Cavs’ latest loss

(Reuters) – LeBron James is growing increasingly frustrated with his team’s performance the last three weeks and is calling on the Cleveland Cavaliers’ front office to step in and bolster parts of the reigning NBA champions’ roster.

After Cleveland suffered their fifth loss in seven games on Monday the four-times NBA Most Valuable Player launched into an expletive-filled rant suggesting the Cavaliers organization was not doing their part.

“We’re not better than last year, from a personnel standpoint … we’re a top-heavy team,” James said, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. “I just hope that we’re not satisfied as an organization.”

Since Cleveland won their maiden NBA title last year to snap the city’s 52-year professional sports championship drought the Cavaliers have made only minor changes, with the recent acquisition of former All-Star Kyle Korver from Atlanta the most notable trade.

LeBron James

The Cavaliers (30-13) lead the Eastern Conference by 2-1/2 games but James stressed the need for a backup point guard or playmaker to help lessen the load he and Kyrie Irving in particular carry.

James, who posted a triple-double in Monday’s 124-122 loss to a New Orleans (18-27) team playing without leading scorer Anthony Davis, could not help but point out the rosters of some of the NBA’s top contenders, namely the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs.

“For the most part, all championship contending teams have got guys that are ready to step in,” James said. “Knock on wood, what if Ky goes down? For two weeks. Let’s say two. What if I went down for three weeks?”

Part of the Cavs’ lack of depth is a result of bad luck with Chris Andersen out for the season with an ACL tear, starting guard J.R. Smith out three months with a thumb injury suffered last month and former All-Star point guard Mo Williams abruptly retiring before the season started.

James, who has voiced his concerns about the roster to the team’s general manager, admitted that the urgency in beefing up the Cavaliers’ bench has a lot to do with the stage of his career.

“I’ll be 33 in the winter and I ain’t got time to waste. That’s what I’m talking about,” said James.

“When I feel like physically and mentally, me personally, can’t compete for a championship no more or I feel like I can’t do it, then I won’t have this problem.

“But until that happens, and it don’t seem like no time soon …” he continued before trailing off.