CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Cavaliers have promoted Brandon Weems to general manager. It was one of five front office appointments announced by president of basketball operations Koby Altman on Friday.

Weems has been with the Cavaliers for 11 seasons, including the last four as assistant general manager. He began as a scout in 2015 and was promoted to director of scouting in 2017 before becoming senior director of player personnel in 2021.

The 40-year-old Weems was a high school teammate of LeBron James at Akron’s St.Vincent-St. Mary High School. James congratulated Weems via social media on Friday.

“Brandon has earned this opportunity through more than a decade of exceptional work with the Cavaliers and by consistently demonstrating elite judgment and the expertise required to help lead our basketball operations,” Altman said in a statement. “He has been instrumental in our player evaluation and roster-building processes, has a deep understanding of our culture, and has grown into a tremendous leader.”

Weems will take the lead on roster management and contract negotiations, oversight of global scouting and working closely with Altman leading up to the NBA draft.

The Cavaliers also announced Jon Nichols has been promoted to associate general manager and Brendon Yu and José Calderón to assistant general managers. Dashiell Flynn was hired as chief technology officer of basketball operations.

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