The Cavaliers and head coach Larry Drew have yet to discuss Drew’s future with the team, he told reporters on Sunday. As Tom Withers of The Associated Press details, Drew said that conversation will take place once Cleveland’s regular season ends.
While the Cavs haven’t confirmed that they’ll conduct a full-fledged coaching search this spring, they also haven’t done anything to give the idea that Drew will return, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. According to Vardon, NBA insiders would be “shocked” if Cleveland ultimately ends up retaining Drew, who has a club option for 2019/20. He’d receive a buyout if he’s not retained.
After replacing Tyronn Lue early in the season, Drew has done a decent job with a poor hand — he and the Cavs have had to deal with injuries all season, with star forward Kevin Love only having appeared in 22 games. The team has a 19-56 record under Drew.
Still, even if the Cavs were interested in bringing back Drew, it’s not clear that he’d reciprocate that interest. He told The Athletic back in January, “I don’t know if I ever want to be a head coach again after this year,” adding that he hadn’t been looking to fill that role heading into the 2018/19 season.
“I think he’d be great for the future, but, I don’t even know if he wants it,” Love said of Drew, per Vardon. “He knows that I have his back and I think a lot of the guys have his back.”
If the Cavs do move on from Drew and give GM Koby Altman a chance to hand-pick his own head coach, there’s a good chance that Nuggets assistant Jordi Fernandez will get a serious look from the Cavs, sources tell Vardon. Vardon adds that the team is doing its homework on Luke Walton, who is widely expected to be dismissed by the Lakers.
Jordi Fernández would be a great option. He’s already worked in the organization and he’s a bright young coach.
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Dan Gilbert needs to go to church next week. Pray a lot. Following Monday get down on your knees and beg Larry Drew to take the position. Cry like a baby if Drew hesitates, but offer him the position. What ever it costs.
These players are playing for him at this awful time of season with no playoff goals. Yet they still fight to the end of the game. That’s fairly unique. We Cavs fans have remembered many a time no one wanted to watch a game this time of year.
Hire Larry Drew and give him the keys to the building for God’s sake. If he doesn’t want to coach here, please give him the keys anyway and have him be the boss of everyone at the Q. Larry Drew for the Q!!!
Fernandez was successful with the Canton Charge. A Mike Brown find. He does not appear to be an ex-jock, certainly not ex-NBA, which I like. He is technical; the first wave of analytic coaching in soccer were Spaniards and they got hired all over the world in that sport.
Fernandez started in Denver in player development in 2016, where lesser-known new players have risen quickly…
3rd yr players- Jamal Murray, Malik Beasley, Juancho… 2nd yr- Monte Morris, Torry Craig. This is 48% of the minutes for the #2 team in the WC!
Too bad they wasted a pick on Micl Porter. Coach can’t fix that problem!
In the process, recently signed 2nd-contract veterans have been partly eclipsed: Will Barton, $42MM left; Gary Harris, $58MM left; Trey Lyles, RFA.
Murray was the #7 pick in the draft. Not exactly lesser known. And Beasley was also a first round pick. That was pretty damn good in college. Those r not lesser know/developmental guys at all