Is Byron Scott doing enough with the Cleveland Cavaliers?
Can you really tell with a roster that didn’t have a lot of talent and had to deal with injuries?
The Cavaliers are not very good, not defensively (26th in NBA at 106.9 points per 100 possessions) and 20th in offense. They are on an eight-game losing streak and, while they just got Kyrie Irving back on Sunday, this is a team limping to the finish line and another high draft pick. Which led Bob Finnan to speculate at the News-Herald that Scott’s job could be on shaky ground.
Coach Byron Scott’s critics are becoming more vocal as the season wears on. It was once viewed that his return next season was almost a lock. After all, the Cavs picked up the option year on his contract next year worth an estimated $4.5 million…
Scott’s offense is largely ineffective. Often times, he hands the ball to Kyrie Irving in crunch time and asks him to make something happen. Break down your man, penetrate into the key and take a shot….
For the most part, Scott is able to get the players to play hard. Right now, there is not enough legitimate talent, which isn’t the coach’s fault.
Because the Cavaliers are about saving money right now I’d be shocked if Scott is not back next season — the Cavs aren’t going to pay him and someone else as coaches.
But part of Scott’s reputation is that his teams burn out on him and his style after a few seasons and either tune him out or worse. He may not be the ideal coach for a rebuilding project like we see in Cleveland. But you can’t judge that based on this season and what he’s had to work with. He should return.