by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni
Next season, Byron Scott will either be the coach under the harshest of glares — a guy expected to steer a LeBron James-led team to its first championship — or a guy coaching a team hoping to get a high draft pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.
Brian Shaw unexpectedly pulled his name out of the running for the gig, and Byron quickly swooped in again.
Scott, who let it be known earlier this week that he’d happily coach the Cavs with or without LeBron, will get his opportunity according to several published reports.
ESPN, the Plain Dealer and FanHouse all confirm that Cleveland will soon officially have a new, perennially cross-armed bench boss:
Less than a day after Byron Scott’s agent, Brian McInerney, publicly congratulated his competition for winning the job and Scott himself wished the Cavs well in a late-night phone call, McInerney told FanHouse that Scott has agreed to “essential terms (of a contract), with details to be worked out throughout the night.”
In an interview with FanHouse, Scott’s agent, McInerney, had denied reports that it was a foregone conclusion Scott would become the Cavs coach, but he would say less than two hours later, “The presentation was very aggressive and didn’t require hours of negotiation.”
While terms of the agreement are not known, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert clearly came prepared with an offer that Scott, who earned $5.5 million annually in his last head coaching job with New Orleans, couldn’t refuse. “Dan has proven to be an owner who will invest his money to win a championship,” said McInerney, who would not disclose the rough terms. “We’re happy about it.”
The Cavs have taken care of one very important piece of business this summer so far. They got themselves a coach. Good for them.
I’m told their work isn’t quite finished yet, though. Something about a local kid who may or not send the franchise into a devastating tailspin depending on what he decides to do over the next few weeks. Good luck with all of that, Cavs.
