The Cleveland Cavaliers are reportedly on the verge of firing head coach Byron Scott.
Per Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio, while the Cavs haven’t made anything public, they’re prepared to show Scott the door:
Within the past few days, sources around the league have told FOX Sports Ohio that Scott is about to be fired. The Cavs, however, have not commented on or off the record.
Their final game is Wednesday at Charlotte, and any decision involving Scott is likely to be announced shortly after.
Those in support of Scott say he has had little to work with, particularly after injuries to Irving, Waiters and Anderson Varejao.
That is true.
Those against Scott point to the struggles on defense and repeated blown leads. They too have a point.
It’s beyond unfair for us to blame Scott for the last three seasons worth of misery the Cavaliers organization has been put through. He took over at a time when LeBron James had crippled the franchise and restoring the organization’s good name was never going to be an overnight process.
Still, there is a clear need for change in Cleveland. Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters make for a promising core, and the Cavs will look to add another significant piece in this year’s NBA draft, but (as Amico pointed out) that may no longer be enough.
Injuries to Irving and Anderson Varejao certainly killed the Cavaliers this season, but shouldn’t this team have won more than 24 (maybe 25) games? On paper, they’re no worse than teams like the Detroit Pistons or even Washington Wizards. Why couldn’t they win more?
Bear in mind that the Cavs had 21 wins in 66 games last season. Procuring just 24 (or 25) over the course of a full 82-game season doesn’t exactly constitute improvement. Even with a battered roster, there is some cause to can Scott on account of stagnancy then.
And it’s my belief they will. Anonymous sources aren’t what you would consider “reliable,” but once reports go from “his future with the team is uncertain,” to “they’re set to part ways at season’s end,” the latter tends to actualize itself.
As for potential replacements, we’ll just have to wait and see. There are no shortage of big-name coaches available, but the state of the roster might not be enough to lure marquee-sideline amblers, even when you try to sell them on Kyrie and the cap space Cleveland will have after next season.
Photo via the Orlando Sentinel.
I’m not sure if it’s worth noting, but I’m going to note it anyway: The AP’s Tom Withers tweeted that former Cavs head coach Mike Brown is planning to move his family back to Cleveland.
Just something to chew on: Former #Cavs coach Mike Brown has been looking at houses and may move family back to Cleveland. #nokidding
— Tom Withers (@twithersAP) April 16, 2013
Could this pave the way for a reunion?
Er…
If the Cavs are even the slightest bit serious about bringing back LeBron after next season, I don’t see it happening. Coaches that aren’t named Phil Jackson rarely return to the sidelines of a team they just coached in that short a period of time.
A broad search will likely commence at season’s end (if Scott is actually fired), and Brown’s return seems less than unlikely.
Where will the possible coaching questing ultimately lead this reeling franchise?
We just don’t know. With the Cavaliers, we never do anymore.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com. Follow @danfavale on Twitter for his latest posts and all things NBA.
