Report: John Beilein Apologizes for Calling Cavs Players Thugs in Film Session

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach John Beilein provided some clarity to a Wednesday film session with his team, insisting he meant to call players "slugs" and not "thugs."

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported the news, noting Beilein understood the racial connotations of what he said and reached out to players individually to explain he misspoke when he said they were no longer playing "like a bunch of thugs" during the session.

"I didn't realize that I had said the word 'thugs,' but my staff told me later I did and so I must have said it," Beilein said. "I meant to say slugs, as in slow moving. We weren't playing hard before, and now we were playing harder. I meant it as a compliment. That's what I was trying to say. I've already talked to eight of my players tonight, and they are telling me that they understand."

According to Wojnarowski, "a hush fell over the room" after the former University of Michigan coach said "thugs" during the session. "The Cavaliers players left the room initially stunned and were increasingly disturbed as they dispersed out of the meeting."

This is another unfortunate headline for Beilein, who is in his first season as a head coach in the NBA with an ugly 10-27 record.

It's not just the losing, as Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report cited Cavaliers sources who said veteran Kevin Love is increasingly frustrated with the team and his role. Beilein didn't mention the 2015-16 champion by name but did point to conversations he had with players about negative body language.

That was never more apparent than during Saturday's loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder when Love visibly threw his arms up at Collin Sexton continuing to dribble the ball despite a favorable matchup for the forward.

What's more, Shams Charania and Joe Vardon of The Athletic reported Love "had an emotional outburst directed toward general manager Koby Altman."

While Beilein explained he did not mean to use the word he did, it is another unfavorable story for a Cavaliers team that is playing out the string on a lost season.