The Cleveland Cavaliers want to make Larry Drew their head coach for the time being now that they have fired Tyronn Lue, but the assistant wants nothing to do with the “interim” label.
A report on Sunday claimed Drew is willing serve as a temporary bridge for the Cavs but won’t commit to the rest of the season without an agreement that extends beyond 2018-19. Drew essentially confirmed that on Monday, saying he will be the “voice” for the team but wants assurances that he’s a full-time head coach.
Larry Drew just said he was not the interim coach of the Cavs. The team of course said he was yesterday. He’s calling himself the ‘voice’ and said he wants security from the organization to be the head coach
— Joe Vardon (@joevardon) October 29, 2018
The Cavs are off to an 0-6 start, no longer have LeBron James and are dealing with an injury to their best player. This season has the potential to turn into a disaster for them, and Drew understands that. The former Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks head coach has been an assistant in Cleveland since 2014, and he is trying to leverage the Cavs’ lousy situation to his benefit.
If the Cavs don’t believe Drew can lead them over the long-term, it makes sense that they are not giving him any assurances. However, they are going to have a difficult time attracting outside candidates with the way things currently stand.
