The three biggest questions about the Cavaliers’ offseason
By Corey Casey
#2: Who will be the Cavs’ next head coach?
The Cavs have already mutually parted ways with former head coach Larry Drew, as was reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, and there’s been a number of names that have reportedly emerged as potential replacements.
Must Read. Cavs given permission to interview Portland's David Vanterpool, Nate Tibbetts. light
For now, according to Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor, Cleveland has interviewed Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Jamahl Mosley and Miami Heat assistant coach Juwan Howard, and according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Cavaliers have received permission to interview Portland Trail Blazers’ assistant coaches David Vanterpool and Nate Tibbetts.
This is a key moment for the franchise, because with so many young guys likely receiving considerable playing time in the next few years, it’s important to find the right head coach going forward to properly develop those players (along with assistants’ help, too, but obviously the head coach is the key cog).
It appears by the comments of Cleveland general manager Koby Altman at his end-of-season presser (per WKYC’s Ben Axelrod), that the Cavs will take their due time finding the next coach, as they should, considering Cleveland must get this right so it doesn’t stunt the growth of the young guys they’re trying to develop.
"“We want to make sure we get this right,” Altman said at Cleveland Clinic Courts on Friday. “We also want to make sure we get to know these candidates really really well, flush this thing out and I hate to keep using this word, but make sure it’s the right fit. “Make sure it’s the right fit for our front office, for our players, for our fanbase. We want availability, grinding — all that kind of stuff. We want to make sure that’s the right fit and for that person, that we’re the right fit for them too.”"
All signs point to the Cleveland Cavaliers taking their time during this head coaching search and hiring a first-time/developmental head coach would seem to be smart, in knowing that the Cavs will be playing a bunch of younger players significant minutes in the next few years, and player development is probably at the forefront of this coaching search.
Altman is doing all the right things during a long rebuilding process and continues to show he’s absolutely the right guy to lead this franchise out of it, and I trust he and the organization will make the right decision.