Cavaliers blew their shot at Chauncey Billups on a low-ball offer

The Cleveland Cavaliers are quietly one of the most dysfunctional organizations in the NBA.

The team has LeBron James, sure, but the front office missing key pieces while diving right into free agency says it all.

So does missing a guy like Chauncey Billups when trying to fill those positions—because they didn’t offer him a respectable wage.

Here’s the scoop, according to ESPN’s Chris Haynes and Marc Spears:

According to sources, the team’s initial offer was $1.5 million. League sources told ESPN that $4 million is typically the starting point of what an individual in that role should earn. Sources maintain financial compensation wasn’t the only factor as to why the 40-year-old Billups turned down the job on Monday after weeks of deliberation, but it played a part.

The Cavaliers just dug themselves a hole—the job wasn’t attractive to begin with. Whoever takes it gets one year of LeBron before he potentially leaves in free agency. That’s almost career ruining for Billups if LeBron does choose to abandon the city again. And the rebuilding plan over the years? Draft LeBron and have multiple No. 1 overall picks just to contend.

Those top picks won’t keep coming and there won’t be another LeBron. Nobody will want to play in his shadow, either.

So odds seem strong the asking price candidates will demand from the Cavaliers just went up.

For the Cavaliers, the trick is finding someone who will even consider the gig.