Byron Scott is exactly what the Cavs need in a coach.
Byron Scott agreed to a four-year deal to coach the Cavaliers.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- LeBron James or no LeBron James, the Cavaliers needed to hire Byron Scott as coach. They needed a coach who has done it before, everything from dealing with stars to a franchise that was completely turned upside down.
They need a no-excuse coach with a bit of an edge. This is not a job for a coach on training wheels, even a promising assistant such as the Lakers' Brian Shaw.
It's a job that requires the team being kicked into the highest playoff gear possible, assuming James ends his free agency and re-signs with the Cavs. Or they'll need a coach who can build a new identity for a team that will have lost its signature player, if James signs elsewhere.
His 10 years as a head coach in New Jersey and New Orleans reveal that Scott can do both. Scott has coached two possible future Hall of Fame point guards. He had Jason Kidd in New Jersey, developing a relationship that led to the Nets reaching the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003.
It's hard to remember 2002 and 2003, yet it's doubtful anyone believed the Nets were the best team in the Eastern Conference. But they played like it under the very firm hand and demanding voice of Scott.
His Nets tenure ended the following season after a 22-20 start. He began fussing with Kidd, the players were divided and he departed without a lot of love.
But in his three full seasons with the Nets, their record went from 26-56 to 52-30 to 49-33, including those two Eastern Conference titles.
His next stop was New Orleans, where his victory totals were 18, 38, 39, 56 and 49. In the middle of that, the franchise had to play in Oklahoma City after Hurricane Katrina decimated New Orleans. He was fired after a 3-6 start last season.
His star was Chris Paul, who was upset when Scott was let go. The point guard told the New Orleans media: "Coach had an open line of communication. Guys would feel a certain way about playing time, and Coach was always honest. He always was straightforward with you from day one."
This is not about bashing Mike Brown, who did a very good job in his five seasons here. But if you are going to replace a guy who has won more games in the past two regular seasons than anyone else in the NBA, then also change the personality.
Scott will do that.
He is more willing to confront players in the huddle and not afraid to sometimes point out their faults in the media. What makes it work for him -- at least in the short term -- is that he's utterly honest with his players.
The Cavs were very impressed with his leadership and communication skills. As Paul said on the day Scott was fired in New Orleans, players knew where they stood with their coach. They may not like it, but there is no mystery, no reason to guess what he was thinking.
Scott played for Hall of Fame coach Pat Riley. He played with Magic Johnson, James Worthy and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He coached Kidd and Paul. Being around stars does not intimidate Scott, nor is he afraid to challenge them.
Maybe the Cavs need a little of that after five years of Brown, who was a coach/consensus builder. He demanded they play his style of defense, but he gave the players tremendous freedom in other areas of the game.
Scott's critics fault him for being rigid, in terms of what he wanted done on the court. They question his ability to make in-game adjustments. Some said he lacked patience with young players.
There might be some truth to all these charges.
But the bottom line is that the Nets never won big before he arrived, at least in their NBA era. Nor have they won as much since he left.
His 56 victories in 2007-08 was the most in Hornets' history. The team went to the second round of the playoffs. That matched two second-round playoff finishes for Paul Silas, who coached the Hornets before coming to the Cavs.
The Cavs discovered that Scott was excited about the job, especially as he did his homework on the current state of the franchise. Of course, the former Lakers guard would have loved to replace Phil Jackson as coach in Los Angeles, but Jackson decided not to retire.
But in Cleveland, Scott sees an owner willing to spend, a roster with some talent even without James. After some of the teams he's coached in 10 seasons, players such as Mo Williams, Antawn Jamison, Anderson Varejao, Anthony Parker and J.J. Hickson are encouraging to a coach -- especially since the team has some expiring contracts that can be used in trades.
Scott also believes the Cavs have a realistic chance to retain James. Hiring Scott has to help the Cavs in their quest to keep their two-time MVP. Consider the coaches of the teams recruiting James: Miami (Erik Spoelstra), Chicago (Tom Thibodeau), New Jersey (Avery Johnson), New York (Mike D'Antoni) and Scott with the Cavs.
Scott compares well with any of those names. Johnson is the only other coach to lead his team to the Finals (once in Dallas). In the past, James has said he wants a coach who can teach him and push him. Scott will do that.
The knock on Scott is that after a few seasons, he rubs people a bit raw. The strong voice that helped bring the team together eventually leads to it breaking apart. Perhaps that has happened, but the NBA is a league where the average coach survives a little more than three years with the same team.
If Scott is only a short-term fix for the Cavs, so be it. Perhaps a driven Scott combined with a revived James does lead to the NBA Finals for Cleveland.
But no matter what, Scott remains -- by far -- the best choice the Cavaliers could have made.