Tyronn Lue is out in Cleveland, the scapegoat for an organization trying to walk an impossibly-fine line of rebuilding while winning (with a roster that really does neither well). While the Cavaliers were not playing well, when you remove the best player of a generation and the guy who set the culture for the organization, what was there to expect?
The Cavaliers want Larry Drew — an assistant on Lue’s staff and former NBA head coach — to take the job on an interim basis. Drew, however, is savvy enough to know better than to just say yes.
Larry Drew is willing to bridge the immediate coaching transition with Cavaliers, but so far is reluctant to commit to rest of season without an agreement of some kind that extends beyond 2018-19, league sources tell ESPN. Those talks are ongoing with Cleveland.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 28, 2018
Sources on @TheAthleticNBA @WatchStadium: Larry Drew hasn't agreed to take interim head coach title with Cleveland, but will continue as voice of head coach as team could look to assess their options.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 28, 2018
That’s smart by Drew.
Whoever takes that job will be stuck in the same morass as Lue. The Cavaliers want to think of themselves as a rebuilding team, but they have just four players under 25 on the roster (and only two of those are likely part of the long-term in Cleveland). The veterans are going to be on the trade block, and guys like Kevin Love are good when healthy but his time will be limited. It’s not a no-win situation, but no coach is going to pad his stats taking over this roster mid-season.
Drew, wisely, wants to be compensated for this. We’ll see if that happens, or if the Cavs go get someone else.