Cleveland Cavaliers: 3 reasons it was smart to fire Tyronn Lue
By Ryan Piers
2. Larry Drew is waiting in the wings
Lue battled some concerning health issues last season, missing three weeks because of anxiety problems. He even admitted to spitting up blood.
The Cavs excelled without him on the sideline, going 9-1 with assistant Larry Drew at the helm. The writing on the wall may have formed during that stretch.
Drew is connected to the current core of players. He’s coached the Cavs since the summer of 2014 and was David Blatt’s top assistant. His background includes head coaching experiencing with the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks. This is starting to read like a LinkedIn page, but you get the idea.
Drew was groomed for this position, one that will likely drop the interim part of its title in due time. He has experience building young teams, setting the groundwork for Mike Budenholzer’s success in Atlanta and Jason Kidd’s talented young group in Milwaukee.
Lue is laid back, cut from the same zen-like cloth of, say, Phil Jackson. He lets his players take the lead. That’s fine if you roster is star-laden.
Young teams need a firmer hand, more guidance as they navigate NBA puberty. Drew is just that. Just listen to WTMJ-TV’s profile piece done of him from his time in Milwaukee.
The line that stands out is, “Players these days forget the importance of hard practice.” Yeah, that seems a little “old timey.” Still, it might be the discipline the young Cavs need.