Meet Frank Calhoun, 71, who is credited with being the “flopping coach” for the thee-time NBA MVP LeBron James.
As Frank put best, “You just gotta want it.”
[Related: Top Pick Debate: No Clear Answer, But Several Theories To Rule Out]
NBA News: Sacramento hires Chris Jent as assistant coach
June 11, 2013 by 7 Comments
Ohio State Buckeyes assistant and former Cleveland Cavaliers coach Chris Jent is heading to the West Coast.
The Sacramento Kings have officially hired the 43-year-old Jent as an assistant coach, the team announced yesterday. Previously this offseason, the Kings tabbed former Cavs assistant Michael Malone as their head coach and it had been rumored for the bulk of the last week that he was targeting Jent to join his staff.
“Adding Chris to our coaching staff provides the team with a coach who will remain loyal to the mission of returning this franchise to prominence,” Malone said in the team press release. “He’s experienced at the professional and collegiate levels, is extremely well-prepared, and has made a significant contribution in every stop along his coaching career.”
An OSU alumnus, Jent’s professional career was not that noteworthy. The 6-foot-7 left-handed forward played just six regular season and 11 playoff games in the NBA, yet won a championship alongside the Houston Rockets in 1993-94. He had much more success overseas, where he played in Australia, Italy, Spain and Greece.
He was then an assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers in 2003-04 followed by a year with the Orlando Magic in 2004-05, when he finished the season as an interim head coach. After being dismissed by Orlando, he joined the Cavaliers organization as their Director of Player Development in November 2006. By 2009, he added on the title of assistant coach under head coach Mike Brown.
Jent gained public notoriety for his work as LeBron James’ “personal shooting coach.” In their four seasons together, James improved his effective field goal percentage each year, thus leading to the increasing Ohio appreciation for Jent’s work. He also worked notably with J.J. Hickson and was the final remaining coach from the Brown era.
Then, shockingly, Jent left to join Thad Matta’s crew in Columbus in the summer of 2011. It must have been a heck of a recruiting push to then bring Jent elsewhere, as all public indications seemed to show that he was thrilled to be at Ohio State, where both he and his wife graduated.
Now, he’ll work on developing the young players on the Kings, as highlighted by the oft-rumored star DeMarcus Cousins.
[Related: DeMarcus Cousins rumors fading, so what’s next for Cavs?]
NBA Draft News: Russian Sergey Karasev not holding workouts for NBA teams
June 5, 2013 by 64 Comments
Yesterday ESPN’s Chad Ford released his NBA Mock Draft 4.0. In it, he had the Cleveland Cavaliers drafting Nerlens Noel with the #1 overall pick. For the Cavaliers’ 2nd first-round pick at #19 overall, he had the Cavaliers looking to Russia for their pick, in the form of the 19 year old international sensation Sergey Karasev, writing:
If the Cavs grab Noel at No. 1, look for them to add a small forward or shooter with their second first-round pick. Karasev is interesting. His performance in Vegas on Friday wasn’t stellar thanks to some jet lag, but scouts are very high on him at the moment.
He has the size to play both wing positions, is a terrific shooter, has a high basketball IQ, and at 19, already has significant professional experience averaging 18.4 PPG in the Russian League. A few scouts compare him to smaller version of Toni Kukoc. Karasev could go as high at No. 9 to the Wolves but would be a great get here by the Cavs.
While a lot of teams are rumored to have serious interest in Karasev, the expectation was that he would be making the rounds and holding private workouts with many of the interested teams. However, Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowksi is now reporting that Karasev is going back to Russia and will not return for workouts with any team prior to the draft:
Sergey Karasev has returned to Moscow until the NBA draft in late June, fueling speculation among front-office executives that a team has given the Russian teen star a strong first-round guarantee, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.
Karasev’s representatives, Andy Miller and Justin Zanik, began to inform teams on Tuesday that Karasev, a sharp-shooting 6-foot-7 forward, will not be made available for any private workouts prior to the June 27 draft, league sources said.
Most NBA teams wanted to get Karasev into their facilities for closer inspection, but none will get the opportunity.
So are the Cavaliers the team who gave the guarantee? There are no indications who the team is that gave Karasev the guarantee, and certainly no clues or signs that point to Cleveland. However, using history as a guide, a move like this wouldn’t be out of character for the Cavaliers.
Cavalier GM Chris Grant was on Danny Ferry’s staff back in 2006 when Ferry masterfully got Daniel Gibson to cancel workouts in an effort to get him to slide to the team with their first pick in the 2nd round. Mike Brown was also the coach at the time, so the team certainly has experience using the pre-draft guarantee to try to get what they want. Furthermore, we know that Chris Grant is comfortable drafting players without holding workouts for them. Last season he drafted Dion Waiters despite the fact the Cavaliers never once had Dion in for workouts.
None of this is to say the Cavaliers are the team who is trying to get Karasev. Instead, this is just pointing out that it falls within their method of operations, and so they certainly have to be considered as one of the teams who would more realistically be inclined to make this kind of move. We’ll have to wait until draft night to see how everything plays out.
[Related: DeMarcus Cousins rumors fading, so what's next for Cavs?]
NBA News: Cavs win local Emmy Award for video open
June 2, 2013 by 2 Comments
There always was plenty of excitement and energy around this year’s intro video for the Cleveland Cavaliers — and now the leaders behind the video have taken home some local recognition.
The Cavaliers’ in-house QTV production team won in the Best Promotion of Program Sports category at the Lower Great Lakes Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Emmy Awards. The 44th annual event took place at Windows on the River on Saturday night.
The video open features Cleveland rapper Machine Gun Kelly’s “Invincible” song with fire in the video matching fire emerging from the Quicken Loans Arena scoreboard. Clips of MGK singing and huddling with the players were meshed together with constantly updated highlights during the season.
Fans still can watch the video online at Cavs.com.
The team also was nominated this year at the local Emmy Awards in the category of Best Sports Program for “Access Cavaliers.” The specific episode that was nominated provided an inside look of the in-game video open, training camp and more.
Previously, the Cavaliers received Emmy Awards related to their in-game video open in 2006, 2010 and 2011.
[Related:In fun and fire: Cavs’ video production team steals the show]
DeMarcus Cousins rumors fading, so what’s next for Cavs?
June 1, 2013 by 26 Comments
Although absolutely nothing has happened for the Cavaliers in the 12 days since winning the NBA Draft Lottery, it has seemed like an eternity to fans. There’s still another 26 days remaining until the actual draft — showing how all of the team’s options can start to wear on an exhausted Twitter base.
But most notably in the past week, Cleveland Twitter has been electric with the allure and mystique of 22-year-old Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins. One of the most polarizing players in the NBA, Cousins was “potentially” on the block with the Kings being sold and changing their leadership structure.
Alas, as of last night, it now appears that Cousins will not be anywhere close to the trade block. Would this have been a fruitful exploration? Moving forward after that fantasy, what can Cavaliers fans do now? What’s next on the horizon? Let’s take a look through the stats and the narratives. [Read more...]
2013 NBA draft and trade scenarios with Scott on 92.3 the Fan
June 1, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Our very own Scott was on with Joe Lull of 92.3 The Fan early this morning. They chatted about the latest NBA talk, including the Cavaliers’ options with the No. 1 pick and some of the high-profile trade rumors going out on in the Twitter world.
Take a listen and kudos to Scott for being up and talkative at 8:20 a.m. on a Saturday.
NBA Rumor: DeMarcus Cousins wants to stay in Sacramento
May 31, 2013 by 4 Comments
Lately, Cleveland Twitter has been buzzing with trade ideas revolving around Sacramento Kings star center DeMarcus Cousins. The rampant speculation — of course with no concrete backing — has heated up even more so since the Cavaliers won the NBA Draft Lottery for the No. 1 pick next month.
But today, with the recent sale of the Kings becoming official and the team set to soon hire former Cavs assistant Michael Malone, rumors are circulating that Cousins indeed wants to stay in Sacramento. Via the Twitter account of Sacramento Bee reporter Jason Jones:
And for those asking, new ownership has no intention of trading DeMarcus Cousins, so I'm told. Cuz supposed to meet w/ Ranadive soon.
— Jason Jones (@mr_jasonjones) May 31, 2013
Two more sources state again DeMarcus Cousins does NOT want to be traded. After sale was approved first person Vivek called was Cousins.
— Jason Jones (@mr_jasonjones) May 31, 2013
Nothing new on Tyreke Evans' status w/ ownership, but it's clear Cousins is wanted in Sacramento. ? is does agent Dan Fegan want him in Sac?
— Jason Jones (@mr_jasonjones) May 31, 2013
Vivek Ranadive is the new lead owner of the Kings. He previously was a co-owner and vice chairman of the Golden State Warriors (a la Jimmy Haslam III and the Pittsburgh Steelers), but later emerged as the main man behind the contingent hoping to keep the Kings in California.
Cousins, 22, was the No. 5 pick in the 2010 draft after one season at the University of Kentucky. In the last two seasons most notably, “Boogie” Cousins has averaged 17.6 points and 10.4 rebounds per game, emerging as one of the elite young prospects in the NBA. He’s also been relatively healthy, playing in 220 out of 230 possible games thus far in his three-year career.
Yet, Cousins has been an constant source of trouble on and off the court, leading to the constant Internet speculation about an eventual departure from Sacramento. Thus far, however, it appears that the new ownership group is doing all they can to keep the team’s best star at least for now.
[Related: Exploring The Trade Angle For Cavs’ Moveable Assets]
The Diff: The stats behind drafting Nerlens Noel at No. 1
May 29, 2013 by 135 Comments
The Diff is your weekly Wednesday WFNY look into the amazing world of sports statistics. For a complete log of articles, click this link. Last week, The Diff covered the historical finishes for MLB teams that started 26-18. This week, it’s NBA Draft talk time.
Since the Cavaliers won the lottery last week, Cleveland sports fans have been enamored by the idea of Nerlens Noel. Whether you love him or hate him, the 19-year-old University of Kentucky center already has been the subject of dozens of Cleveland-based analyses and reports. Is he the best prospect in this draft? Will he fit in the NBA? Will he actually make an impact in 2012-13? How good can he be? After perusing through the usual and not-so-usual stats, I’m here today to give you the statistical know-how about why Noel should be the Cavs’ no-doubt pick at No. 1.
While We’re Waiting… Disappointing Indians weekend
May 27, 2013 by 1 Comment
“While We’re Waiting” serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com.
“Look guys, I got nothing. I’m as upset as you all are at what transpired this weekend. After winning the first game, dropping the last three, especially the last two, and even more especially on Sunday, times a thousand multiplied by infinity, I’m disappointed. Times a thousand multiplied by infinity and all I can say is I’m disappointed? Yeah I guess so. I’ve had time to cool off and I also realize that it’s just two games of the 162.” [Nino Colla/The Tribe Daily] [Read more...]
While We’re Waiting… Norv Turner’s impact in Cleveland
May 25, 2013 by 3 Comments
While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com.
Nice look at Norv’s past success: “The greatest organizational acquisition of the Cleveland Browns over the past twelve months has been that of their new offensive coordinator Norv Turner. Yes, Turner only reached the postseason 4 times in 15 years as an NFL head coach, with the Washington Redskins, Oakland Raiders, and San Diego Chargers. Of all the head coaches in NFL history with a losing record in their respective careers, Turner has coached the most games. As a head coach, he has been criticized for lacking motivational and emotional leadership skills, exhibiting poor clock management, and being responsible for a series of poor drafts, most notably over his last several years in San Diego. However, his credentials as an offensive coordinator are impeccable.” [Kyle Flippin/Sporting Charts] [Read more...]
NBA Draft: John Calipari commends Cleveland’s scouting
May 24, 2013 by 6 Comments
Anthony Lima and Dustin Fox hosted University of Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari on their show this afternoon. The segment was great and packed with lots of intriguing Cavaliers draft fodder.
But how the 54-year-old Calipari started off the segment — when prodded if he thinks Cleveland would be making a mistake if they don’t pick former Wildcat Nerlens Noel No. 1 overall — stood out the most:
“Chris Grant and his crew are the most thorough people that I’ve seen,” he said. “No disrespect to anyone else in the league, all I know is I’ve seen Chris’ face more in my gym than any other GM, guys that are making the decision. So, if he picks my guy, my hope is he picks him, which means he’s the No. 1 guy because they don’t make many mistakes. When you go back to Tristan [Thompson], everybody says, ‘What are they doing? Fourth pick in the draft, that’s crazy!’ When they picked Kyrie [Irving], they were saying, ‘Wait a minute, Kyrie’s toe.’ Well, he’s going to be the best point guard in the NBA here in short order. Then, they picked Dion Waiters and everybody says ‘What the heck?’ So I’m looking at it saying, ‘Look, they don’t make many mistakes, and if they pick my guy that means he is the guy.”
Those are pretty strong words from any college coach, let alone one who has coached some of the elite, elite prospects over the last half decade. The fact that he went out of his way to begin the segment like that is certainly noteworthy. Definitely, it appears the Cavs’ scouting and drafting success has a much better reputation than the other two Cleveland teams, and for that we should be grateful.
[Related: Cavalier NBA Draft Film Room: Nerlens Noel]
Report: Otto Porter under consideration for first pick
May 24, 2013 by 23 Comments
While we now know the Cavaliers have the top pick in this year’s draft, we still have to wait until June 27 to find out what they do with the pick. While most pundits and analysts have Kentucky big man Nerlens Noel circled in as the pick, we know from experience that Cleveland Cavaliers GM Chris Grant doesn’t make his picks based on what the “consensus” says is the right move.
With that being said, and with so many options in front of the Cavaliers, expect to hear a lot of rumors about different scenarios, trades, players, etc being considered with the first pick. So it’s not surprising then that the Washington Post’s Michael Lee is hearing Otto Porter’s name being brought up:
Porter is currently preparing for the June 27 NBA draft at McDonough gym at Georgetown and will likely work out for the top three or four teams in the lottery. At 6-feet-8 and with a 7-1 wingspan, Porter stands out as an obvious choice at No. 3 for Washington. He would fill a need small forward, has local ties and a skill set that would mesh well with Wall and Beal.
But there is a possibility that Porter, arguably the most NBA-ready player among the top prospects, might not be around when the Wizards pick third. A source with knowledge of the Cavaliers’ thinking said Porter is under consideration to go No. 1.
We all know the Cavaliers want to trade this pick if possible. They also know Washington wants Porter. So it makes sense to float Porter’s name out there as the guy you want to pick. Ideally this would motivate teams to want to make trades to position themselves better to get the player they want. So yes, Otto Porter is “under consideration” with the top pick. Along with a lot of other players.
[Related: Dan and Nick Gilbert continue to defy the odds]
For the Cavaliers, #1 Pick is All About Options and Opportunities
May 22, 2013 by 52 Comments
Yesterday, as WFNY’s Scott Sargent was announcing his trial separation with the NBA Draft Lottery, I found myself nodding along in agreement as I consumed every word of it. Scott is exactly right. The Draft Lottery is the worst. It was kind of fun the first couple years, dreaming of top picks and thinking about potential. In previous years I’ve spent countless hours playing the lottery machine, reading about the top 2 or 3 prospects, and dreaming of what winning the top spot would mean for the team.
But the more time you spend wallowing in the murkiness of luck, lethargy, and the tantalizing siren song of the NBA Draft Lottery, the more you realize it’s not a scene you really want to be a part of. As much as I love seeing Nick Gilbert proudly represent the city of Cleveland and the Cavaliers franchise, I’d be perfectly content if I don’t see him on TV again until it’s on a podium holding a trophy.
And thus, shortly after Nick Gilbert told the national audience that he, too, was tired of being there, the Cavaliers won the #1 pick in the draft. And in doing so, the Cavaliers opened the door to a world of options and opportunities. The team may or may not be in the lottery again next year, but you have to believe that at worst Nick Gilbert will be sitting in the top row instead of his usual front-left spot on the stage. [Read more...]
Scott Raab talks about LeBron’s MVP, Questlove, Tribe winning streak and cheap hotels – WFNY Podcast – 2013-05-06
May 6, 2013 by 4 Comments
Please subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.
I was a bit tired this morning and you’ll just love how I sputter out at the end with an awkward laughing at myself moment. Really though, a very nice conversation this morning about sports and culture and Questlove, who Scott spoke with for the most recent issue of Esquire.
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Scott Raab talking to Questlove
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People who work hard vs. people want you to think he works hard
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Behind the Q&A with Questlove
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Questlove and D’Angelo’s last minute show
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The Roots in Philly
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LeBron’s MVP and just how far away it is from a Cleveland storyline
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LeBron not winning his 5th MVP because of The Decision
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LeBron is even better today than he was
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The burned jersey and how it represents us
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Reactions and whether you should feel badly about it
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San Diego and just how perfect it is
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Developing the lakefront in Cleveland
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The Cleveland region
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The Indians winning streak
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Chief Wahoo
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Terry Francona and faith in coaching for the first time since Charlie Manuel
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Charlie Manuel as one of the greatest hitters ever
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Omar Vizquel’s hitting improvements under Charlie Manuel
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Cheap hotels in the Poconos
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The wonder of travel
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The wonders of modern technology and how lucky we are to live in the future
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Profiling Dan Patrick for Esquire [Read more...]
While We’re Waiting… Hot start for Francisco Lindor
May 6, 2013 by 12 Comments
While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com.
Prospect notes, as highlighted by the top star in the system: “SS Francisco Lindor (.341 1 HR 10 RBI .406/.505) Lindor has made quick work of Carolina League pitchers, a league that often favors pitchers because of the size of the league (eight teams). His 13K/10BB ratio early is very nice too for the league he’s in. He’s already off to a hot May. I predicted at some point this year that they’d have to move him to AA-Akron, but with Ronny Rodriguez in front of him right now (for the time being and having no where else to put him right now) he’ll continue to man shortstop for Carolina and haunt the league’s pitchers.” [Jusin Lada/It's Pronounced 'Lajaway'] [Read more...]
The Diff: Regression to the mean and the Cavaliers
May 1, 2013 by 6 Comments
For my entire archive of The Diff at WFNY, check out this tag. Last week’s edition tackled an aggregate of 60 mock drafts from around the Internet, which obviously didn’t prove that fruitful when the Browns took Barkevious Mingo (projected by only 3 mock drafts). Oh well.
Back in my second-ever version of The Diff, on Jan. 23, I wrote over 3,000 words on six specific franchise comparisons for the current iteration of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Obviously, much has been written here at WFNY and elsewhere since about the hopeful trajectory of the Cavs organization, especially with the re-addition of head coach Mike Brown. Today, I’ll hope to share even more analytics behind previous NBA rebuilds and some statistics behind their variability. [Read more...]
NBA Rumor: Cavaliers reach out to retired Phil Jackson
April 21, 2013 by 9 Comments
More details continue to emerge this weekend on some possible coaching candidates for the Cleveland Cavs, and the ESPN.com NBA crew has an update tonight on Phil Jackson. Per the reporting of Brian Windhorst and Marc Stein:
“As they did eight years ago when he was in retirement, the Cleveland Cavaliers have reached out to Phil Jackson about their head coach opening, sources told ESPN.com. The Cavs, who fired coach Byron Scott last Thursday, have been in touch with Jackson to gauge his interest in returning to coaching and in their open position.”
Overall, the emphasis of tonight’s ESPN.com article seemed to be that Jackson would prefer to return to the NBA in a management role, a la Pat Riley with the Miami Heat. Jackson is now 67 years old and last coached in the summer of 2011. According to the article, “in January, Jackson told SheridanHoops.com that he had ‘no intention of ever coaching again.’”
Thus, it appears likely that the Cavs and owner Dan Gilbert are just feeling out the potential prospects of Jackson’s interest in coaching. While the Cleveland organization might be a relatively attractive situation for most typical coaching candidates, it is believed, per this report, that Jackson might be more interested in teams like the Brooklyn Nets or Sacramento Kings (soon-to-be Seattle, maybe) where he could be a lead voice in the front office.
Specifically, that would deal with working preferably in a “management capacity” and to possibly “oversee personnel moves and mentor a head coach,” per tonight’s report.
Previously in Cavs coaching news, Mike Brown reportedly met with Gilbert on Sunday. Stan Van Gundy also reportedly expressed his disinterest in the currently available openings. Several other candidates — such as Golden State assistant Michael Malone or Indiana assistant Brian Shaw — just began coaching in the playoffs with their current teams this weekend.
[Related: Mike Brown Take Two? In The Right Situation, Yes]
The Boots: NBA Draft lottery, Byron Scott’s tenure, playoffs
April 20, 2013 by 12 Comments
In my usual half-rapid fire, half-prose form, I’m here today with another edition of The Boots. Again, for those unfamiliar with this feature, I assign loosely defined “Boot Up” or “Boot Down” votes to trending topics in the sports world. Let’s talk basketball again today.
Boot Up: Slotting in at No. 3 – That’s not necessarily what Cavs fans were hoping from the 2012-13 season. Kirk, Scott and Andrew all have written way more eloquently than I possibly could about the franchise’s current situation post-Byron Scott. But for now, I’d like to focus on what it means for the draft. Obviously, slotting in at No. 3 lines up the stars for a possible better pick than later in the lottery, as fans hoped before the year and maybe even as late as the end of February. [Read more...]
NBA Rumor: Stan Van Gundy not interested in current options
April 20, 2013 by 3 Comments
Buried in an Orlando Magic notebook article from The Orlando Sentinel’s Brian Schmitz, there was a little nugget of information that appears to be news with one hot name around the Cavs coaching rumors.
Per Schmitz: “The Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavs and Philadelphia 76ers are looking for coaches — three more possibilities for former Magic coach Stan Van Gundy. I’m told that Van Gundy has no interest in those openings at this time. More jobs could open after the playoffs end, however.”
Van Gundy, 53, had a 259-135 (.657) record in his five seasons with the Orlando Magic that ended last summer, which also followed 2.5 relatively productive years with the Miami Heat. A noted grinder — hence maybe fitting with one of Chris Grant’s preferred qualifications — he also gained a solid statistical reputation for his showmanship at this year’s Sloan Sports Analytics Conference at MIT.
Among possible veteran head coaches, his name appeared to be the most frequently listed for Cavs fans in this process. He was one of several veteran head coaches — including former Cleveland coach Mike Brown — on the long lists of possible candidates. For now, it appears that folks can remove this pipe-dream.
Overall though, this shouldn’t be too disconcerting to Cavalier fans. Van Gundy was a long-shot from the get-go. Now, it’s likely just a matter of the Cavs continuing to secure some interviews, which could be prolonged if intriguing candidates are currently on the staffs of playoff teams.
[Related: Fair or not, it was time for the Cavaliers to move on]
While We’re Waiting… Mark Price as coaching candidate?
April 20, 2013 by 1 Comment
While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com.
Hadn’t heard this one before. Are fans excited enough by this? “Mark Price is the best available head coaching candidate for the Cleveland Cavaliers. This is not a question of nostalgia, but rather a matter of practicality and reality. Price, while by far the most popular Cavalier in the history of the franchise, has the playing experience and success to demand respect, the technical expertise to help mold a young team’s skills, and the background of having worked for and with some of the most accomplished head coaches in the history of the NBA.” [Cleveland Jackson/Stepien Rules] [Read more...]
