Through his attorney on Tuesday, Cleveland Cavaliers executive Koby Altman pled not guilty to his impaired driving charge.
Altman was arrested and charged Friday night in Cleveland. He was pulled over after allegedly making a traffic violation, and officers placed him under arrest after he allegedly showed signs of impairment.
Some footage of the evening has since surfaced.
President of the Cleveland Cavaliers Koby Altman doing the walk and turn test before his arrest in Cuyahoga County for driving under the influence of alcohol. A personal appearance is required in court. pic.twitter.com/QPMzUedYK2
— mateo mayorga (@mateomayorga23) September 18, 2023
Cavaliers president Koby Altman blaming the arresting officer for his lack of balance. pic.twitter.com/y7BoP7ciM1
— mateo mayorga (@mateomayorga23) September 18, 2023
He was charged with a marked lanes violation and OVI, the latter of which is the impaired driving charge.
The Cavs released a statement on the situation over the weekend, explaining that they’re aware of the incident and working to gather more information.
The events have certainly thrown a bit of a curveball at the Cavs organization amid an offseason that had been going well. Altman and company had a productive summer, adding players like Max Strus and Georges Niang to elevate Cleveland’s roster heading into the 2023-24 season.
Unfortunately, those moves are likely a bit of an afterthought for the 41-year-old executive at the moment. The Cavs will likely wait until more information is available before addressing the matter again, but one has to imagine that some difficult conversations are being had within the organization.
Altman, who became Cleveland’s lead executive in 2017, has made a name for himself with some of the moves he’s been able to pull off with the Cavs. He has had a major hand in the organization’s rebuild following LeBron James’ departure in 2018.
The organization had some lean years after James left for the Los Angeles Lakers, but thanks in large part to Altman, the Cavs have enjoyed two straight winning seasons.
In 2022, he earned an extension from the franchise.
ESPN Sources: Cleveland Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman has agreed to a contract extension through the 2027-2028 season. Altman’s new title will be President of Basketball Operations.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 12, 2022
Altman’s situation is unfortunately one of the biggest stories surrounding the Cavs right now, and it’s unfolding as the 2023-24 season is approaching. Cleveland will open its season in just over a month against the Brooklyn Nets.
By the time the season is here, there may be more clarity regarding what the Cavs plan to do about the Altman issue. Of course, it’s also important to monitor how the situation plays out in court.
