Koby Altman may not necessarily be a household name, but the Cavs general manager has something that’s eluded a number of his predecessors. According to WKSU sports commentator Terry Pluto, that says something both about Altman and the team’s owner, Dan Gilbert.
Koby Altman joined the Cavs in 2012. The Middlebury college graduate served as an analytics intern and advanced to become an assistant to former General Manager David Griffin in 2016. When Griffin departed, Altman was named general manager in July 2017. Owner Dan Gilbert extended his contract for another five years, the first time he has done that.
Commentator Terry Pluto said Gilbert likes to have people move up through the ranks. “Dan Gilbert, who likes to promote from within in his companies, for Quicken Loans and other venues that he has, would do the same thing with the Cavaliers.”
Pluto said the Cavs needed to extend Altman’s contract to keep rebuilding the team in their second post-LeBron James era. Altman was instrumental in getting Kevin Love and Larry Nance Jr. to stay with the team after James departed.
“If you don’t give it to him, then you bring in a new GM who probably will want to trade some of the players or whatever that you have.”
Altman and new head coach John Beilein have made it a goal to build the team for long-term success over short-term gains.
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