Cavaliers likely out of the running to host NBA All-Star game in 2020 or 2021

In all likelihood, the Cleveland Cavaliers won’t be hosting an All-Star game in the near future.

According to a story from Kevin Kleps of Crain’s Cleveland, the NBA’s letter to the team and a recent Ohio Supreme Court decision have made it unlikely an All-Star game will come to Cleveland in 2020 or 2021. From Kleps article:

The next step is determining whether the referendum will be placed on the November ballot, or if it will be part of a special election early in 2018, which would cost Cleveland taxpayers another $763,600.

Either option would mean Cleveland would be out of the running to host one of the two All-Star Games.

A Cavs source told Crain's that the organization hasn't heard anything official from the league, but the source wasn't certain that they would, since Tatum's letter was "very clear."

In July, NBA Deputy Commissioner sent a letter to the Cavs saying that an All-Star won’t come to Cleveland if rennovations to Quicken Loans Arena don’t begin by Sept 15. And just last week, Ohio’s highest court ruled that the City of Cleveland must accept and review 20,000 signatures signed against the $140 million project.

This entire process has been unclear from the start and it’s unclear how much money the Cavs will actually pay for the renovation. But this does all but end any chances of Cleveland hosting an All-Star in 2020 and 2021. They could reapply for 2022 and beyond, but for now, it looks like the team’s dreams are dead.