Cavaliers reportedly targeting Musselman

[Karma]

BOB FINNAN, Morning Journal Writer05/10/2005

CLEVELAND -- League sources indicate the Cavaliers have stepped up their interest in former Golden State coach Eric Musselman.

Musselman, 40, could be interviewed this week by the Cavaliers.

He is also expected to chat with the Orlando Magic about their coaching vacancy this week.

He spent part of the season as an assistant coach with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Musselman coached the Warriors for two seasons before being relieved of his duties after the 2003-04 season.

Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert has already interviewed former Lakers coach Phil Jackson -- and been turned down -- and has reportedly talked to ex-Timberwolves boss Flip Saunders.

Gilbert said previously that he preferred to hire a general manager before a coach, but it's not written in stone.

Six teams -- seven if you count Sacramento -- are looking for head coaches, and most are waiting for Jackson to make up his mind. Once that happens, it will

likely start the ball rolling on filling the other positions around the league.

Saunders is under contract with the Timberwolves for $5.5 million for next season. He hasn't decided whether he will coach in 2005-06. The Cuyahoga Heights native has done well in his role of color analyst on TNT.

Portland recently asked permission to speak with Saunders. Even though the Trail Blazers have solid ownership in Paul Allen, the team is considered a mess with several bad characters.

Saunders, 50, has also spoken to Knicks president Isiah Thomas about New York's head coaching opening. Saunders, who was fired by the Timberwolves on Feb. 12, could also be in contention in Sacramento and the Lakers.

Musselman, who attended Brecksville High School, had a 75-89 record (.457) with the Warriors. He was also a former assistant coach in Orlando and Atlanta.

Bob Finnan Article Link

 

[NarlCavs]

If the Cavs can't get Saunders then Musselman would be one of the best remaining candidates. I think McMillan is staying in Seattle. He's been a career Sonic and I can't see him leaving now.

Musselman did a solid job with average to mediocre talent with the Warriors. He's a good young coach who has a bright future. Reports have had him headed to Orlando though. I'm still hoping for Flip though.

It would be nice to get things moving with the Cavs hiring but I do want the whole process done right. It's also tough with many GM candidates working for teams still in the playoffs.

 

[MarkPrice25]

I too am hoping for Flip to come here, but Musselman would definitely be a nice choice now that Phillip is out of the picture and we are unsure about where Flip wants to go.

 

[cavincali]

lets all be honest with ourselves here, will the cavs get an improved team with musselman compared to silas. no. when we got silas i was pumped and i would imagine that everyone else was as well. getting musselman isnt anything that much better than silas.

the next coach cant be some ordinary coach, he has to mean more to the team and city as well as acomplished more than silas did. the players must respect him as well as us fans. if the coach falls short of sila's accomplishments and relationship with the city we gained nothing.

that means we got to get flip, hes been a coach fore a while, thus he will have respect of the players and he is a native so the fans will appreciate him as well.

got to go and improve at the coaching position, musselman wont get the job done.

 

[Pioneer10]

I'm still hoping for Flip. But all this coach speculation means nothing till we decide on a GM. A GM and coach have to get alone (see what happened to us this year) and Gilbert has said the right things in terms of wanting to hire the GM first and let him decide on who the next coach will be

 

[Fundamentals]

Musselman is my choice. He is a defensive coach, who improved a bad team, then left and the team has fallen back down again. He has been coaching under Fratello, and should be able to drastically improve the defense.

The thing I don't get is the fascination with Flip Saunders. I know he is a local guy and has experience, etc. However, he is a coach who has had a star player yet only made it past the first round of the playoffs once... Didn't we just get rid of a coach with that record? I see Silas-to-Saunders as a lateral move. Musselman at least brings a new aspect to the game that Saudners doesn't, in defense.

 

[E-Light]

The thing I don't get is the fascination with Flip Saunders. I know he is a local guy and has experience, etc. However, he is a coach who has had a star player yet only made it past the first round of the playoffs once... Didn't we just get rid of a coach with that record? I see Silas-to-Saunders as a lateral move. Musselman at least brings a new aspect to the game that Saudners doesn't, in defense.

Flip Saunders is a defensive coach. He's known for his defensive schemes, and was a big reason for why minnesota was one of the best defensive team in the league these last few years before this one. Saunders wasn't the reason for Minni failing repeatedly in the play offs. Look no further than the cancer on that team. They have had 2 of the biggest in the league. Saunders is also one of the best game planners in the league, silas is one of the worst. comparing silas to saunders is like comparing carmelo to lebron, we know who's better, but only the unimformed will cherish 'melo.

BTW, how many times has silas one 50 games in the regular season?
How many times has Saunders won 50 games in a regular season?

I like musselman too though, but don't you try to devalue flip saunders just because he coached a group of idiots. :chuckles:

 

[NarlCavs]

It does seem to be going in the direction of Musselman as the next coach. Portland reportedly offered Flip a 4 year $30 million contract. I don't know if Gilbert will outbid them.
I can live with a Musselman choice if Flip is no longer an option. Musselman does have a solid background, did well in Golden St. and has worked under some respected coaches. I do think he's a very good young coach on the rise who could develop into one of the league's best. He's not my #1 choice but I do think he'd be the Cavs best coach since Fratello if hired.

 

[Glen Infante]

Musselman called good fit
Grizzlies' Fratello plugs his assistant as a Cavs candidate
Friday, May 13, 2005
Branson Wright
Plain Dealer Reporter
Mike Fratello said Thursday that the Cavaliers' postseason drought could end, especially under the direction of a coach like Eric Musselman, who according to an NBA source interviewed for the team's coaching vacancy earlier this week.

Fratello, the last coach to lead the Cavaliers to the playoffs in 1998, said: "He can be that guy to take them to the playoffs. If [the organization] gives him a GM that evaluates talent and they get some talented players over the summer, he can definitely take them to the playoffs. The team will love his energy and his dedication to the game."

Musselman, an assistant to Fratello with the Memphis Grizzlies, is one of many coaches that Cavs owner Dan Gilbert has expressed interest in to replace the fired Paul Silas and interim coach Brendan Malone. That list of coaching candidates include Musselman, Flip Saunders and Maurice Cheeks.

Musselman, 40, the son of former Cavs coach Bill Musselman, was fired after two seasons (2002-04) with the Golden State Warriors.

Despite a 75-89 record with the Warriors, Fratello said that should not be a knock against Musselman's ability.

"He's a high-energy guy," Fratello said. "He's creative in his thinking. Eric is organized and he has a philosophy on the offensive end and defensive end. He's not afraid to try something new. He'll take chances and that's a plus in coaching."

Musselman, then 37, was the youngest coach in the NBA with Golden State.

Musselman also is a candidate to fill the vacancy in Orlando.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

bwright@plaind.com, 216-999-6136

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/1115976789104531.xml&coll=2

I can honestly say that I have no past knowledge on Musselman. There for, my thoughts on him as coach is completly in the air.

All I have to say is that I hope we get our coaching staff settled soon, but I would much rather have a GM set in place and have him choose the coach.

 

[CBBI]

Dan Gilbert - 42 years old
David Morway - 44 years old
Eric Musselman - 40 years old

Surprising? I don't think so.

Sounds to me like Gilbert is trying to build a young energetic front office and coaching staff to go along with his young and energetic ownership group.

You can't argue with the picks though. The Indiana Pacers are an extremely well run organization and both Donnie Walsh and Larry Bird have given their full recommendation about Morway.

Then you have Mussleman who has been universally praised by Mike Fratello and Chuck Daly and he's a guy who took a pile of crap Golden State team in the Western Conference and led them to 37 and 38 wins.

These would both be very good hires.

 

[The Disector]

I don't know about anyone else but I want a proven coach.

A coach who has proven he can goto the playoffs and win a series.

Otherwise we may as well have kept Silas and I really didn't like Silas as a coach.

If the Cavs go out and get an unproven coach who turns out to be a flop you know we can kiss LeBron goodbye!

 

[TrueCavsFan23]

musselman was taking the warriors in the right direction when he had arenas,hughes,and jamison.but then again their ownership cant seem to keep anybody there.they fired him...it was one of those firings where i thought it was unfair at the time.But i wouldnt be dissapointed if we got him,just want us to go after the others first.

 

[NarlCavs]

I don't know about anyone else but I want a proven coach.

A coach who has proven he can goto the playoffs and win a series.

Otherwise we may as well have kept Silas and I really didn't like Silas as a coach.

If the Cavs go out and get an unproven coach who turns out to be a flop you know we can kiss LeBron goodbye!

Who is that proven coach? Jackson turned down the Cavs. Saunders is still an option but apparently is looking for big money and has already gotten a big offer from Portland. All signs point to McMillan staying in Seattle. Adelman could be an option but he is still under contract with the Kings for one more year.

Musselman is the best available coach if all these other coaches are off the table. He showed he can coach with the Warriors but their idiotic owner along with a new management team decided to make a change. He's a respected young coach who most all experts and insiders feel will be a quality head coach. He's probably not the big name coach many wanted but is the best available option for the Cavs if Saunders goes elsewhere.

 

[Fundamentals]

Flip Saunders is a defensive coach. He's known for his defensive schemes, and was a big reason for why minnesota was one of the best defensive team in the league these last few years before this one.

And I'm pretty sure that when Silas came here we were told how he was a great offensive coach and a good defense coach who just hadn't had the players on his teams to show his skill on the defensive end. Q: Who has the better playoff record, Silas or Saunders? A: Silas

I constantly read about how Saunders is a great X's-and-O's guy, where Silas wasn't. Of course, Brendan Malone was a great X's-and-O's guy as well, and I saw very little difference. Terry Pluto has an interesting take on it, saying that the public thinks only white coaches can be good at schematics. I find it interesting when Saunders seems to be in such the same mold as Silas, yet people are salivating over him all over.

I like Saunders, he is my second choice behind Musselman. I don't say that because he is a great coach, but more because he will basically be what is left out there without trying to find another Randy Wittman clone.

the next coach cant be some ordinary coach, he has to mean more to the team and city as well as acomplished more than silas did.

I hate this argument more than any other in the world... well except for the "he has to have cred with the players" that you mentioned later in the article. Tell me where Bobby Cox got his cred in baseball, where did Bill Belichick get his in the NFL, where did Jeff Van Gundy get his in basketball? They got them in the coaching ranks. Just because a guy didn't play in the NBA or doesn't have the imposing figure doesn't mean squat if he can actually coach.

If Golden State had kept the team together (Jamison, Arenas, Dunleavy, Dampier, etc.) that is a top-tier team in the NBA. What coach finally got some of that talent to show? Musselman.

Also, getting back to the quote I pulled, who goes to the game for the coach? Did anybody go to more or less games because Paul Silas was coaching? Guess what gets fans to the arena??? WINS!

Saunders is the safe pick, without a doubt. However, high-risk, high-reward plays here. Getting Saunders may make the Cavaliers a playoff team, but I don't think it puts the team over the top. The team could become the Pacers. Getting Musselman... the team could become the Pistons, IMO.