Richard Jefferson says the Cavaliers players were "shocked" to hear Cleveland was parting ways with general manager David Griffin late Monday night.
Griffin shepherded the Cavs to three straight NBA Finals appearances and the first championship in franchise history last year.
Jefferson also referred to multiple reports that Cavs owner Dan Gilbert did not consult LeBron James before speaking with Griffin for the final time, telling ESPN that "if Bron doesn't know, nobody knows."
"We shouldn't be shocked after we fired our head coach when we were in first place in the middle of the season," Jefferson said Tuesday, referring to David Blatt's dismissal in January 2016.