Mike Brown, the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers was fired yesterday. That means the Calipari to the NBA rumors will once again be a topic across the nation. I know many fans are tired of hearing about it, but understand, it’s only going to get worse before it gets better. The speculation will continue until Lebron picks his team and is no longer a free agent and that team officially has a coach.
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This morning, Daren Rovell From CNBC Sports sent a tweet out that stated the odds of who he thought the next coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers will be. You can see that Rovell thinks Calipari is on the top of the list. That doesn’t mean he’s leaving, it just means there’s a good chance he’ll receive at least a phone call.
[U]Cavs coaching odds According to Daren Rovell (CNBC Sports)[/U]
Calipari (9/4)
B. Scott (5/1)
Avery. Johnson (9/1)
Tom Izzo (12/1)
Phil Jackson (15/1)
Coach K (20/1)
Scott, one of Nation of Blue’s writers, has been doing his best to beet down the rumors of Calipari leaving. With a [URL=”http://www.nationofblue.com/coach-cal-i-m-not-looking-1274/”]series of articles[/URL] that cover the reasons why Calipari will be a CAT next year, Scott continues to focus on the positive side that the national media tends to forget.
This morning, Cleveland.com got the ball rolling with a breakdown of the potential candidate list for the Cavaliers next season. Let’s take a look at a few of the candidates (and yes, one of those is Calipari)
[QUOTE]
[B]Phil Jackson[/B]
A 10-time world champion who made his mark by coaching in Chicago and Los Angeles. Until he retires for good Jackson would be at the top of any search. There are two reasons why he will be at the top of the Cavs’ list.
[B]Mike Krzyzewksi[/B]
This is the second time the Duke legend’s name has come up with an NBA job this year. The other was in relation to the New Jersey Nets, speculation that Krzyzewski shot down by saying: “You would be flattered if someone would offer you a job, but I would not be interested.”
[B]Tom Izzo[/B]
Like Krzyzewski, the Michigan State coach has been a target of NBA teams numerous times in the past. Well-respected for his work ethic and ability to teach defense and rebounding, Izzo has established a reputation as a blue collar coach who routinely gets the most out of his teams. His persona would fit in well with the Cavs’ desires to have a coach who establishes a system and a culture with his team.
[B]John Calipari[/B]
One of James’ close friends, Calipari has vehemently said he is staying at Kentucky. The problem is, [B]few people in the NBA believe that he would not consider the right NBA job. Would the Cavs be that job if James’ re-signs?[/B]
Despite what may be assumed, it is not believed that James would actively push for Calipari in Cleveland or anywhere else he may look to sign that has a coach opening. But simply because of the relationship plus the long list of players Calipari has sent to the league, he will likely be on the Cavs’ list.
Calipari is known for a more open offensive style that takes advantage of the constant talented perimeter players he has. It is a drive-and-kick style that opens lanes and doesn’t need a post player to be successful. That may make him attractive to some in the Cavs organization after the offense has struggled at times during Brown’s tenure.
[B]Byron Scott[/B]
Other than Brown now, Scott has the most impressive playoff resume of any coach currently on the unemployment line. He turned around both the Nets and the Hornets by devising systems that incorporated the several stars that both teams had. He took the Nets to the Finals twice. His career playoff record of 33-24 is a testament.
[/QUOTE]I know what Calipari has said, but you can’t ignore this satement “[B]few people in the NBA believe that he would not consider the right NBA job”. [/B]This shouldn’t be news to anyone and it’s not cause for panic. If you receive an offer for new position, it’s only natural to consider it. It could be for two seconds or two weeks, but at the end of the day, you took time to consider it. I wouldn’t expect Calipari to be any different. After all, he’s only human.
