Usually, when a team wins a ring, coaches and front office staff get more than a replica ring — they get job security. Longer deals, usually for a little extra scratch. They’ve earned it.
But that’s not what’s going on in Cleveland, according to the very-well sourced Chris Haynes (formerly of Cleveland.com but headed to ESPN this year). He posted the information in a Facebook video.
Haynes said that four of Tyronn Lue’s assistants — Phil Handy, Damon Jones, Jim Boylan, and James Posey — don’t have contracts and worked Summer League without pay. While the team did pick up the contract option of Larry Drew, that was a deal from when he was third down the bench, now he’s the associate head coach.
Lue is very frustrated, according to Haynes. He says that things have gotten to the “point of hostility.” Technically those coaches are free agents who could jump at other jobs. Lue was taken care of with an extension, but his lieutenants have been left hanging for months.
Lue should be pissed. When you win, you take care of people. That apparently has not happened. It doesn’t put the Cavs front office in a good light.
The issue likely will get taken care of in the next couple of weeks, and when training camp opens everyone will say all the right things about it not being and issue and this being behind them. It is a matter which by the start of the season should long be forgotten.
But it’s an odd way to begin the defense of a title.
