Larry Drew fits the bill as the Cleveland Cavaliers man for the associate head coach position.
Larry Drew is working on new contract that will pay him a salary that’s reflective of his role on the team as assistant head coach. Tyronn Lue had been pushing for Drew’s raise and promotion since he became the Cleveland Cavaliers head coach. Now, the coaching staff is being assembled according to Lue’s vision.
According to Cleveland.com‘s Joe Vardon, Drew is working on a new contract to become the Cavaliers associate head coach. That position was formerly held by Lue himself, when he was the team’s top assistant under David Blatt.
Drew will be a valuable second-in-command for Lue. Despite the Cavs winning the 2016 NBA Finals with Lue at the helm, he still doesn’t have even a full season’s experience as head coach.
More from Cavs News
- 3 possible starting lineups for Cleveland Cavaliers in 2023-24
- 4 players the Cavaliers should pursue in 2024 free agency
- NBA Expert says Cavaliers backcourt just won’t work
- When does NBA Training Camp start? When do Cavaliers start?
- Prominent NBA agent says LeBron had a harder path than Jordan
Prior to Drew’s signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers, he was fired by the Milwaukee Bucks for Jason Kidd. Though the Bucks finished with a 19-63 record that season, he dealt with long stretches of absences from Larry Sanders, O.J. Mayo, Carlos Delfino and Ersan Ilyasova. In that season, the Bucks suffered heavy losses in the win total but it was the start of Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s development into All-Star level players.
With young talented players expected to be on the roster like Kay Felder, Jordan McRae, and in the 2017-18 season Cedi Osman, Drew’s experience in developing young players on-the-court will be highly beneficial to the future of the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise.
Before the Bucks, Drew spent nine years coaching (2004-13) with the Atlanta Hawks franchise as both an assistant and a head coach. In that time, the Hawks reached the playoffs six times. The three seasons before Drew was the head coach and the three seasons when Drew was the head coach.
Related Story: Josh Smith should Be The Cavs Starting Center
The Big Three under Drew in Atlanta were Joe Johnson, Josh Smith and Al Horford. The team was strong defensively, moved the ball well, and typically was efficient offensively. Strong defense and ball movement lead to efficient scoring so that’s no surprise. The team’s playoff failures weren’t due to Drew’s coaching. Those playoff contending Hawks teams had to face MVP-level Derrick Rose, the Boston Celtics’ Big 4, and Frank Vogel’s Indiana Pacers in the playoffs.
More from King James Gospel
- 3 possible starting lineups for Cleveland Cavaliers in 2023-24
- The Cavaliers may have snagged a hidden gem in Craig Porter Jr.
- 4 players the Cavaliers should pursue in 2024 free agency
- 6 players Cavaliers might replace Jarrett Allen with by the trade deadline
- This stat is one to keep an eye on for Cavaliers’ Max Strus in years ahead
In his time as an assistant coach, Drew has experience coaching Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. Though Jordan was with the Washington Wizards in the year that Larry Drew was an assistant coach, Drew still has experience coaching three of the most dominant basketball players in league history. That experience will help as the top assistant.
Lue prods LeBron James and demands him to be his best on and off-the-floor. Drew will be looked to act in a similar fashion. Knowing how to push James as a player requires knowledge of what makes great players respond to coaching. Drew’s experience with coaching the all-time greats will be beneficial as James looks to earn his first Defensive Player of the Year award, a fifth regular season MVP, and a fourth NBA Finals MVP and Larry O’Brien trophy.
The chain of command is becoming official. Lue’s second-in-command will be looked at as a voice that helps push the best player and defending NBA champions towards their absolute best. With the rest of the Cleveland Cavaliers coaching staff under contract, Drew’s promotion and raise are the final acts that need to be completed.
Related Story: Tyronn Lue's Success Good For Future Rookie Head Coaches
What are your thoughts on Larry Drew becoming the Cleveland Cavaliers top assistant. Let us know in the comments section or tweet @KJG_NBA and @30for30Albertie.