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June 20, 2014Well, that escalated quickly. Just hours after being mentioned as one of the final two finalists for the Cleveland Cavaliers’ vacant head coaching position, David Blatt has been hired to lead the team for the foreseeable future.
“David is a great basketball coach and a special person,” said Cavaliers GM David Griffin in a press release. “His abilities to communicate, to build relationships with his players and to foster winning environments at several stops throughout Europe and across the highest levels of International competition speaks for itself. He brings unbridled passion, energy and creativity to his craft. These qualities have enabled David to reach a level of success that is truly unique. I have watched David’s work for many years. He has an uncanny ability to adapt his system to maximize the talents of his teams year after year. That is why I am very confident he will make a smooth transition to the NBA. There is a great opportunity to accelerate the progress of moving our team and franchise to the higher level of play we all believe we are capable of achieving. I am excited that the experience, knowledge, skills and leadership David will bring to the Cavaliers is the right fit at the right time.”
A bold move to be sure, Blatt comes over to the NBA as the first coach to make the leap from Europe, doing so at age 55. Griffin and Cavs majority owner Dan Gilbert reportedly zeroed in on a decision to choose Blatt over Los Angeles Clippers assistant coach Tyronn Lue after doing their final round of due diligence, ultimately completing what has been a six-week process.
One of the most successful European coaches of this era, Blatt resigned from his job as the championship coach of Maccabi Tel-Aviv in order to pursue his longtime goal of coaching in the NBA. He was in line to become the highest-paid assistant in the league under Steve Kerr in Golden State, but will instead bring his crisp passing, high-octane offensive prowess to Cleveland, spurning those who advised him to do otherwise.
“David Blatt is going to bring some of the most innovative approaches found in professional basketball anywhere on the globe,” said Gilbert. “Time and time again, from Russia to Israel and several other prominent head coaching jobs in between, David has done one thing: ‘win’. He is not only an innovator, well-trained and focused on both sides of the court, but he is always learning and always teaching. Whether you are a top draft pick just entering the league, or a seasoned NBA veteran, Coach Blatt is going to take your game and the game of the team you are playing for to a new and higher level. That’s just who the man is and we are proud to call him our new head coach. We are driven by one thing and one thing only; delivering Cavaliers fans everywhere and the city of a Cleveland the kind of competitive basketball they deserve. I look forward to David’s leadership in helping the entire Cavaliers organization realize our vision.”
“I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to come to Cleveland and lead the Cavaliers as their head coach,” said Blatt. “After spending a great deal of time discussing the organization, the team and the head coach’s role with David Griffin, I feel strongly about my fit for the job and this team’s potential. This is an opportune time to join the Cleveland Cavaliers. We are going to work extremely hard to achieve the kind of results we all expect and know are possible,” said Blatt. “I also want to thank Dan Gilbert, Nate Forbes, Jeff Cohen, and many others within the Cavaliers front office, for their belief and confidence in me and what we can accomplish together. This is a proud day for me, personally, but I hope just the first of many more for all of us as we work towards a very bright future. I have always heard about how great of a sports town Cleveland is and have come to understand how much fans here care about the Cavaliers. This makes me feel especially excited and comfortable to join this community but above all motivates me to help deliver in a big way.”
Blatt has reportedly signed a four-year, $20 million deal with the final year being a team option.
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Photo: Associated Press
20 Comments
WOO! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exLt0VIlLxs
At the end of the saga…what an odd final two, eh: Ty Lue and Blatt. I suppose that having those options left, you might as well go with the bigger wild card, gambling on bigger upside (offensive genius-ness). Why not. Let’s hope it pans…
At the end of the saga…what an odd final two, eh: Ty Lue and Blatt. I suppose that having those options left, you might as well go with the bigger wild card, gambling on bigger upside (offensive genius-ness). Why not. Let’s hope it pans…
I gotta say, not knowing anything really about this guy other than the press clippings, he does appear to the the EXACT kind of coach I was hoping they would get. A guy who has an offensive vision and can draw up a play in the middle of a huddle (i.e. Rick Carlisle). I wouldn’t classify myself as excited, but I’m certainly satisfied.
I gotta say, not knowing anything really about this guy other than the press clippings, he does appear to the the EXACT kind of coach I was hoping they would get. A guy who has an offensive vision and can draw up a play in the middle of a huddle (i.e. Rick Carlisle). I wouldn’t classify myself as excited, but I’m certainly satisfied.
He was definitely my favorite option for head coach. I like his personality and drive. I like that he seems to know how to coach X’s and O’s while he gets credit from former players as being a great person. If he can figure out how to make the Cavs move the ball on offense and find their best spots to shoot, we could easily jump into the playoffs even without the expected upgrades to the roster.
Well this should be interesting I gotta give it to Gilbert, he’s never boring!
Nice clip, Ezzie. An emotional post-championship presser probably gives us a better idea of what he’ll try to do as a coach than the mostly stock cliches we’ll get when he’s introduced in Cleveland.
Very excited about this hire!
Have no idea if this swinging from the heels hire will work but can’t be worse than the last two seemingly safe choices. Maybe Gilbert is trying to get in front of the coming trends, like the Browns and Eagles chasing Chip Kelly.
Wow. Very cool. Euro NBA coach, high school NFL coach, Tito… Oddest Cleveland head coaching trio ever?
Excellent. Now all he has to do is hire Mark Price and Lionel Hollins, and then we can get down to business.
(Hmm, I wonder if I should show a pair of wet pants to show my excitement?)
Yup. Also love the commentary on team vs. individual basketball.
Woah, this guy only wins. Pretty insane success rate. Granted some of these come with advantages (Maccabi TA is generally the best Israeli team), but wow.
Does anyone else think that he looks like a smaller version of Z, with hair?
Translation: Gilbert is running the show.
Is he an NBA retread? No. Check in Blatt’s favor.
Is he a college coach? No. Check in Blatt’s favor.
No idea if he will work out (no one knows, despite what many think they know), but credit to the Cavs for trying something different. They easily could have hired another Byron Scott with the same results, or burned the franchise to the ground with someone like John Calipari.
Now as long as Dan Gilbert gives Blatt the time he needs to find out if he is a real NBA coach, things just may work out.
my worry is getting the players to buy in. This is going to be a new system that will demand a lot of the players. I was reading Zach Lowe’s column on Grantland and I got the impression Blatt is a very detail oriented guy who will park a guy on the bench if they’re not following the plan. If the players bristle at the micro-managing, things might not go well.
Lets hope the players buy in. (and, let the record if the internet show that I like the hire)
Blatt rhymes with Platt, which is the last name of the owner of East Coast Custard, whose initials are E.C.C.
E.C.C. also stands for Eastern Conference Champions. Just saying….
So, still no championship?