4 great coaches the Cavaliers could hire to replace Bickerstaff

The Cavaliers could hire Ty Lue as their new head coach

We end our look at potential head coaching candidates by coming full circle. In 2016, coming off of a trip to the NBA Finals, the Cavaliers organization decided that head coach David Blatt was not going to get it done overseeing a contending team. They replaced him with assistant coach Tyronn Lue, and the rest is history: Lue guided the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals and ultimately to the first title in franchise history.

Lue took the Cavaliers back to the Finals in each of the next two seasons, constantly adapting to a changing cast of characters around LeBron James. It’s impossible to extricate Lue’s success from LeBron’s impact, but he seemed to maximize the players he had. That carried over to his next job in Los Angeles with the Clippers. With stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in and out of the lineup, Lue has had to constantly adjust to the players available for any given game.

Under his watch, the Clippers reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history. He has shown that he can adjust during a playoff series, even making bold changes in the lineup, rotation or scheme. He has excellent leadership skills, a good tactical mind and a championship track record.

Even so, it’s very possible that he and the Clippers part ways this summer, either because of another disappointing season or because of a desire to be a bit closer to home (his family lives in the Midwest). If Lue is back on the market, could he be a candidate to return to the Cavaliers?

The Cleveland Cavaliers have a really good coach already in J.B. Bickerstaff, but if the team moves on there are some excellent candidates on the market or potentially available who could help this team take the next step. Whether it’s a return for Ty Lue or a bold hire in Becky Hammon, the Cavs have the kind of team that should attract top coaching talent.