Cavs General Manager Danny Ferry has described Sampson as at the top of the team's coaching candidate list, a source says.
Will former Indiana University and University of Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson be the Cavs' next coach?
CLEVELAND -- Let the games begin.
The Cavaliers' coaching search will likely be long and have plenty of twists and turns especially with much nationwide scrutiny as it relates to the future of LeBron James. There will likely be plenty of information and even some misinformation, and retaining perspective on the process will have value for fans.
With that disclaimer out of the way, the first bit of the team's succession plan came to light Thursday. The Cavs have been doing some background research about Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Kelvin Sampson, according to a source.
Cavs General Manager Danny Ferry, the source said, has described Sampson to people as at the top of the team's candidate list when it comes to current league assistant coaches.
Yahoo! Sports reported that Sampson is on the Los Angeles Clippers' list for their coaching vacancy in addition to the Cavs'.
The Cavs are believed to be chasing a big name to replace Mike Brown, who was fired Sunday. But they are preparing in case they cannot.
One of those big names is Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who is the dream target of several teams because his coaching contract is up at the end of the playoffs and the Lakers want him to take a large pay cut to return.
Jackson made his first comments on the Cavs' coaching vacancy Thursday in an interview with Fanhouse.com before the Lakers took on the Phoenix Suns in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals. He said the uncertainty over James' future colors the entire process.
"It's an extremely odd situation," Jackson said. "Anybody who's in control of the decision making knows that you have to consult with LeBron, and consulting with him is kind of odd because July 1 he's a free agent. So there are no guarantees to that. He obviously wants to look at free agency."
Though Jackson returned to the Lakers five years ago at the request of star Kobe Bryant, he said it would be hard to be hired at the behest of a superstar and retain authority. But Jackson admitted that probably would be the case with the Cavs if James re-signs.
"As a coach, you really question whether you want to be a handpicked guy and then have to discipline and take care of somebody, the stuff you have to do," Jackson told Fanhouse. "You have to coach players regardless of who they are. So that always makes some things issues. But I know my organization probably won't do it that way. But in [Cleveland's] situation, it's almost impossible not to."
Jackson also repeated his recent statements that he was 90 percent sure he would be back with the Lakers next season.
As for Sampson, he's known mostly for his 12-year tenure as the coach at the University of Oklahoma, where he twice was named national coach of the year and led the Sooners to the 2001 Final Four. Sampson's reputation took a hit, however, when with NCAA found recruiting violations both at Oklahoma and later at Indiana, where he was fired two years ago.
In the wake of those scandals, which landed both schools on probation, Sampson joined Scott Skiles' staff with Milwaukee in an attempt to rehab his career.
As a coach, Sampson is known for being a solid defensive coach and a motivator. Like with Brown, the Cavs have a desire for their coach to instill a certain culture within the team. This college-type approach is how the San Antonio Spurs have done business for years and Sampson has done similar things during his collegiate career.
With the Bucks, Sampson has already established a reputation for relating well to players. He was given credit for helping Bucks rookie Brandon Jennings.
Sampson's link to the Cavs starts in San Antonio. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and General Manager R.C. Buford are close with Sampson and Ferry. Sampson and Popovich have coached together with USA Basketball and when Sampson left Indiana in 2008 he spent time with the Spurs.
The Cavs are likely conducting background research on several candidates.
Another LeBron tampering fine: The NBA fined Atlanta Hawks co-owner Michael Gearon Jr. $25,000 Thursday for violating the league's anti-tampering rules. In an interview last week with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Gearon said: "If somebody came to us tomorrow and said you can have LeBron for max money and it puts you in the luxury tax, I'd do it in a heartbeat. But am I going to do that for [Zydrunas] Ilgauskas? Am I going to do it for Jermaine O'Neal? I don't think so."
Gearon is the third league official to be slapped with a tampering fine involving James over the past week. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was fined $100,000 for saying the Mavericks hope to have a chance with James in a sign-and-trade deal. Also, Phoenix Suns General Manager Steve Kerr was fined $10,000 for joking on a radio show that he'd be glad to sign James if he took the $5.5 million mid-level exception.
The recent crackdown seems to be an effort from the league office to temper all the James' free agency talk. In some cases, it has gotten more publicity than the NBA playoffs.
NBA Nation tour: The NBA Nation Tour will be in Cleveland today through Monday at the Great American Rib Cook-Off at Time Warner Cable Amphitheater at Tower City. Former NBA star Darryl Dawkins will make appearances each day and Cavs forward J.J. Hickson will appear Saturday from 2-3 p.m. There will be a slam dunk contest, a skills contest and various other NBA-theme attractions and events.