LeBron James

The guy with the gray hair way in the back of LeBron James -- Gregg Popovich. Yeah, James thinks he's a really good coach.

(Eric Gay)

TORONTO - Perhaps the best news for Cavs from All-Star media day is it is obvious LeBron James believes he can't, as in, never, be under Gregg Popovich's tutelage every day.

Because James sure wishes he could.

"I believe he is one of the great basketball minds that we've ever had in this game," James said of Popovich, the Spurs coach who will direct the West against James' East squad Sunday night in the 65th NBA All-Star Game here.

"I wish I could be around him every day so I could just pick his brain, what he does, what he thinks.

"I can't be there on a day-to-day basis. I wish I could."

The Spurs, with salary commitments of $84.5 million as of now for next season, could not at present sign James this summer. If Tim Duncan ($5.5 million) or Manu Ginobili ($3 million, roughly) retired, and if the club declined its $6.5 million option on Boris Diaw, there'd be more room under the projected $89 million cap, but fitting James in there would still be a long shot.

Also, let's not get ahead of ourselves. James is on a two-year, $47 million deal with the Cavs that includes a player option this summer. The Cavs' superstar is not expected to leave Cleveland again via free agency.

It's just, if you're nervous about that sort of thing and what he had to say about Popovich, well, now you have the dollar numbers so you don't have to reach for the Tums.

James and Popovich have a long history as competitors. Popovich, who has won five titles as the Spurs coach, has faced James' team three times in the Finals. The Spurs beat the Cavs in 2007, lost to the Heat in 2013, and beat Miami in 2014.

Popovich and the Spurs are 45-8 this season, good enough for second in the West. But he's coaching in the All-Star Game because coaches can't repeat as All-Star coaches in consecutive years, and Golden State's Steve Kerr headed the 2015 team.

"I believe I think the game, I'm not going to say in similar fashion, because he has more experience than me, but I think I have a high basketball IQ, so just, it's incredible to see what he does year after year after year with that franchise," James said.

There was quite a bit of talk Friday from James about Popovich, Popovich about the Cavs, and from James and Cavs coach Tyronn Lue about what Popovich was talking about.

Let's clear that up a bit.

Popovich was critical of the firing of coach David Blatt, who was dismissed last month despite coaching the Cavs to first in the East and to a Finals berth last season. Because of Blatt's firing, Lue was promoted to Cavs coach, and thus is coaching the East on Sunday.

And at these All-Star games, there is myriad international media, including Israeli reporters and journalists from different parts of the world familiar with Blatt through the Euroleague, who were naturally going to look for some answers while in Toronto.

Without further ado...

"I feel for every coach that's ever been fired, including David," Popovich said. "He's a great coach. But usually people are fired for circumstances that are beyond their control, and it usually has nothing to do with whether they're a good coach or not. I find that to be the case almost all the time. But as far as judging an organization, I'll leave that to you guys."

Blatt was fired, in large part, because he struggled to command respect from the players, including James. For instance, Friday was the one-year anniversary of James calling Blatt a "rookie" coach after a game in Chicago -- the label irked Blatt to no end.

Lue, who as a first-time head coach is of course coaching in his first All-Star Game, was told that he's "become somewhat of a villain in Israel" because of Blatt's firing.

"Yes, I've heard that," Lue said. "As long as Coach Blatt knows we have a great relationship and I've talked to him and he has my back and support, I'm at peace."

James was asked for the difference between Lue and Blatt, and he said: "their height."

Cleveland Cavaliers coach David Blatt and assistant coach Tyronn Lue, during the game, 4th quarter, against the Los Angeles Clippers 115-102 at Quicken Loans Arena, on Jan. 21, 2015. Blatt was fired on Friday, and Lue was appointed coach. (Chuck Crow/The Plain Dealer)

Lue is listed at 6 feet; Blatt listed at 6'3. But in pictures they appear to be much closer.