Cavs: Reported hiring of assistant coach Antonio Lang seems in-line with culture-building outlook

The Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly hired another assistant coach in former Utah Jazz assistant coach Antonio Lang, and this seems to fit the culture the team is trying to build.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are continuing to build their coaching staff alongside head coach John Beilein. It seems that the team is trying to build a coaching staff that is predicated on developing young talent and instilling the right foundation from an intangible standpoint.

It was reported by The Athletic‘s Tony Jones on Tuesday that former Utah Jazz assistant coach Antonio Lang accepted a job with Cleveland, and will be in the “second assistant chair,” seemingly behind Beilein and associate head coach J.B. Bickerstaff.

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The 47-year-old Lang has been an assistant coach in the NBA for five seasons, from 2014-15 until 2018-19, all with the Jazz (per Basketball Reference).

He’ll join a Cleveland coaching staff that currently consists of Beilein, (essentially lead assistant) Bickerstaff, and assistants Lindsay Gottlieb, Mike Gerrity and Dan Geriot (of which Gerrity and Geriot will be focused on player development, as was demonstrated by Fear The Sword’s Chris Manning).

Lang has been a part of a Utah Jazz squad that has made the postseason the last three seasons in the ever-tough Western Conference, and seems to fit when it comes to what Beilein wants to build in terms of instilling a winning culture focused on hard work and team-oriented play on both ends of the ball, of which Utah has put a high emphasis on in recent years.

He was promoted to the “front of the bench,” prior to this past season, according to Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor, and he looks to be another quality asset for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the coming years, as the team tries to progress in its rebuild and get the most out of young pieces such as Collin Sexton, Cedi Osman, Ante Zizic and likely draft picks soon to come.

Here’s some of what Cleveland Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman had to say in regards to Lang’s hiring, per the team’s official press release.

"“We are very happy to welcome Antonio back to Cleveland. He has had a diverse, successful career and brings a deep knowledge of so many different aspects of the game, both as a player and as a coach, in the NBA and internationally,” said Altman. “Antonio has been a winner at every level of basketball and brings a broad perspective of the game along with a firm understanding of what a winning culture requires.”"

That “winning culture” mindset has seemingly stood out when it comes to Cleveland since Beilein’s hiring, and it’ll take plenty of dedication to turn things around in the coming years, and plenty of growing pains, as though injuries definitely played a part in it, the team finished with just a 19-63 record (per NBA.com) and has its share of holes.

Here’s some of what Beilein had to say on the hiring of Lang, per the official press release.

"“It has been a priority of mine to identify coaches who share a common vision and philosophy of teaching the game of basketball and being part of a winning culture,” said Beilein. “Antonio Lang is one of those unique individuals who exemplifies those qualities. He has demonstrated a consistent work ethic and respect for the game that’s easily relatable to players at every skill level.”"

In relation to what Altman was alluding to with coming back to Cleveland, Lang (who was very appreciative of the opportunity and also thanked the Jazz, per the press the release) was once a player for the Cleveland Cavaliers from 1995-97, and in a short stint in the 1998-99 season (per Basketball Reference).

As Fedor mentioned, Lang “appeared in 143 games with Phoenix, Cleveland, Miami, Toronto and Philadelphia.”

Fedor would also note that Lang played in the “American Basketball Association (ABA), Continental Basketball Association (CBA) and International Basketball League (IBL), and overseas in the Philippines and Japan.”

The aforementioned Manning would hit on how Lang’s first assistant coaching role was from 2006-10, where he was with the Mitsubishi Diamond Dolphins in the “Japan Basketball League,” and he was then that squad’s head coach from 2010-2014.

All indications seem to be that Lang should fit what Beilein, Altman and the Cleveland Cavaliers are ultimately looking for in their coaches, in having model intangibles, an extensive background and obvious track record with player development and a hunger to establish a winning culture over a long-term basis.

For now, it’s still unclear as to who will be the head coach of Cleveland’s Las Vegas Summer League team, but I would assume that Lang is one of the top candidates, along with Gottlieb, in particular.