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Odds Say Larry Drew Will Not Coach the Cavaliers in 2019-20

Daniel Coyle

by Daniel Coyle in NBA Basketball

Updated Apr 15, 2020 · 3:10 PM PDT

Quicken Loan Arena
Sell outs may be few and far between at Quicken Loans Arena this season. Photo by Chris Metcalf (flickr).
  • Tyronn Lue has been fired following the Cavaliers’ dismal 0-6 start
  • Larry Drew has since taken over as interim coach 
  • The former Atlanta Hawks bench boss led Cleveland to an 8-1 record in Lue’s absence last season

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ dismal start finally claimed its first casualty over the weekend, with the axe falling on head coach Tyronn Lue after the team opened the NBA season with six straight losses.

Will Larry Drew be Head Coach of the Cavaliers in 2019-20?

Will Larry Drew be Head Coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2019-20? Odds
Yes +150
No -200

While assistant coach Larry Drew has been promoted to interim bench boss, at least temporarily, he remains a longshot to  hold the head coaching reins in Cleveland next season, sporting +150 odds.

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Lue enjoyed early success after taking over coaching duties in Cleveland midway through the 2015-16 NBA season. Blessed with an all-star lineup led by LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, the Cavaliers marched to the top of the Eastern Conference standings and their first-ever NBA title, and subsequently led the team to the NBA Finals in each of the past two seasons.

Cavaliers Outclassed in Early Days of Post-LeBron Era

With James departing for Los Angeles during the offseason, the Cavaliers have been outclassed in the early going of the current campaign, falling to defeat by an average margin of 12.8 points per game during their season-opening 0-6 SU, capped by a 119-107 loss to Indiana on Saturday as 7-point home underdogs.

Fortunately for soon-suffering Cavs fans, Drew brings a wealth of coaching experience to the Cleveland bench. The 60-year-old took the Hawks to the playoffs in each of his three years in Atlanta, and guided the Cavaliers to a solid 8-1 SU record last season while Lue was absent for health reasons. However, the title “interim coach” reportedly doesn’t sit well with Drew, who characterized his new role with the Cavaliers as “the voice” of the team, which he would run like a “substitute teacher”.

Cavs GM Altman Tight-Lipped on Head Coaching Plans

Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman has said little indicate to that Drew will be offered the permanent head coaching job anytime soon. With the Cavaliers tumbling to a lengthy +12000 bet to claim a fifth straight Central Division title, as well as massive +50000 longshots on the NBA championship odds, Altman is positioned to bide his time before making a decision on a new bench boss.

Lengthy List of Available Coaching Candidates

In addition to Drew, Altman could also draw his next head coach from a lengthy list of qualified candidates. Rick Pitino has been candid about his desire to return to the NBA after seeing his 16-year tenure as Louisville Cardinals coach end last year.

Rick Pitino has been candid about his desire to return to the NBA after seeing his 16-year tenure as Louisville Cardinals coach end last year.

The name of former Houston Rockets bench boss Jeff Van Gundy is regularly mentioned as a candidate when NBA teams embark on searches for a new boss, while coaches turned television analysts Mark Jackson and Kevin McHale were reportedly open to discussing open coaching positions with needy NBA clubs during the offseason.

Success this Season Likely to Determine Drew’s Fate

But while Altman has remained tight-lipped on his long-term coaching plans, how the Cavaliers perform under Drew will likely be the determining factor in whom he hires as the team’s next head coach.

However, the Cavaliers’ slow start has been further complicated by an injury that may sideline Kevin Love for over a month, dimming hopes of a fifth straight trip to the playoffs, and leaving Drew with the difficult task of defying the oddsmakers, who peg him as a short -200 bet to not be coaching in Cleveland next season.

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