3 ways John Beilein will change up the Cleveland Cavaliers

1. Short timeline

Beilein will be a 66-year-old rookie head coach. Despite a lack of professional experience, he’s the third-oldest head coach in the league, behind Gregg Popovich and Mike D’Antoni — and those two are coaching experienced rosters at the peak of development.

The average NBA head coach lasts just over two years. Even with a good relationship with the front office, that’s probably about how much time Beilein will get to coax progress out of this group.

For better or worse, quick improvement will be necessary. Players like Cedi Osman and Larry Nance Jr. will be on short leases. Both could be relegated to the bench without progression.

Tristan Thompson probably won’t be back in 2020 when his contract expires without a career year. Whoever the Cavaliers draft with the anticlimactic fifth overall pick will probably endure a trial by fire, potentially starting from day one. The clock is already ticking for Beilein and company.

A short timeline isn’t necessarily a good or bad thing. Impatient Cavs fans will appreciate the urgency. It’ll be like making a meal with a microwave; sometimes that frozen TV dinner is tasty. Other times, it’s sloppy and lacks texture.

An older coach probably means a shorter timeline. John Beilein didn’t leave Michigan to coach a rebuilding roster. We’ll see how quickly, or if, the Cleveland Cavaliers become contenders.