The Cleveland Cavs have just fired head coach Mike Brown, and rumors are already beginning to swirl about who will be replacing him on the sidelines next season. We at Chat Sports are here to keep you up-to-date on the latest in the Cavs' search for their next coach, with our top 5 candidates for the Cleveland Cavs' coaching job as of 5/12.
5. Nate McMillan
McMillan has a wealth of NBA head coaching experience behind him, with varied levels of success during his stints with the Sonics and Blazers. McMillan has a solid track record at developing guards, which will be crucial to anyone who steps in as the next "man" for the Cleveland Cavs. However, he needs to ensure that the slow, somewhat plodding offensive schemes which he is known for have room to evolve in a much faster current-day NBA.
4. Fred Hoiberg
With a decade of service as an NBA player behind him, along with time spent in the front office of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Hoiberg is not your normal young college coach-to-the-pros risk vs. reward type of proposition. Hoiberg completely rebuilt the Iowa State basketball program, turning them from also-rans into a consistent NCAA Tournament threat. This experience would prove extremely valuable if he were to inherit the Cavs -- especially with youths such as Anthony Bennett and Dion Waiters desperate for a refresh to their nascent NBA careers.
3. David Joerger
Joerger's background in helping turn the Memphis Grizzlies' from a below-average defensive team to a model of efficiency on that side of the ball would be a welcome fit for a Cleveland Cavs team in need of a complete X's-and-O's rethink. He is completely entrenched in the analytic side of NBA coaching, and his innate ability to problem-solve could be just what this roster needs to make the jump from chaos to contender.
2. George Karl
Just a few weeks ago, reports were surfacing that George Karl was looking to Cleveland Cavs ownership to create a president of basketball operations job especially for him. Now, instead of that, the 25-year veteran of the NBA coaching racket might be able to work with the team in a much more hands-on way. Karl hasn't had a losing regular season as an NBA head coach since the Reagan adminstration -- something that the Cavs will be intrigued by to the say the least as their search for Mike Brown's replacement wears on.
1. Adrian Griffin
Per Sam Amick and Jeff Zilgitt of USA TODAY Sports, "according to a person close to the situation, Chicago Bulls assistant coach Adrian Griffin has emerged as a top candidate for the job. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition on anonymity because it has not yet been made public."
His work in helping lead a Derrick Rose-less Bulls squad to home court advantage in the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs can't be denied. He may provide the exact right balance of youth, energy, and defensive spark necessary to lift the Cavs back to the top of the Eastern Conference.