When the Cavaliers set out on their coaching search, they had several stated goals that appeared difficult to achieve. Yet, just under the wire and with a few stressful days, it looks as if they have gotten the type of candidate they wanted in the time-frame they wanted.
Byron Scott is known as a defensive-minded coach who can deal with star players.Yet, just under the wire and with a few stressful days, it looks as if they have gotten the type of candidate they wanted in the time-frame they wanted.
Scott will be officially introduced today and then Saturday be part of the Cavs' meeting with free agent LeBron James in hopes the two-time Most Valuable Player will re-sign.
“Byron's combination of high-level success and depth of experience, both as a head coach and as a player, is a tremendous asset for our organization," Cavs General Manager Chris Grant said in a release from the team. “We're very excited for Coach Scott to get started. His experience and leadership will be a critical element in our drive to achieve the franchise’s ultimate goal.”
When the Cavs fired Mike Brown, the team said they wanted to hire a coach who believed in the importance of defense, had a record of success and was a good communicator. There is no perfect individual for such a task, and the list of candidates the team could hire that would represent a quality replacement was thin.
So getting Scott, a coach with 10 years of experience and a strong playoff résumé, represented a success on several levels.
While he doesn't have the defensive résumé of Brown, his Hornets teams were in the top half of the NBA defensively. He's also twice been to the Finals as a coach and five other times as a player. He's also known for his confidence and good relationships with star players.
When everything is finalized today, the Cavs and Scott likely will talk all about these points, including how he can work with James.
Free agent update: While James is clearly their No. 1 priority, the Cavs have other missions in the free agency period that began Thursday. The team is expected to contact high-profile free agents Amar'e Stoudemire, whom they attempted to trade for in February, and Chris Bosh. Both options would require sign-and-trades and neither is likely unless James elects to re-sign with the team first.
According to sources, one of the team's other interests is Dallas Mavericks' center Brendan Haywood. The Cavs actually drafted Haywood in the first round nine years ago before trading him on draft night. With Shaquille O'Neal and Zydrunas Ilgauskas becoming free agents, the Cavs are looking at big men options.
Haywood averaged 9.1 points and 9.3 rebounds with the Wizards and Mavericks last season. A source said the Cavs might be interested in doing a double sign-and-trade by swapping Haywood for O'Neal. However, such a deal would be complex and hard to execute.
The Cavs also are believed to be pursuing various shooting guards. Sources indicated the team planned to make contact with Ray Allen and Mike Miller. Allen, like Stoudemire and Bosh, would become more likely if James re-signs.