NBA Power Rankings week 17: OKC Thunder and peers enter break
. 14-40. Previous: 30th. Cleveland Cavaliers. 30. team. 156
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Offense: (106.3) 24th
Defense: (115.1) 29th
Net: ( minus -8.8) 30th
Results Week 17: (0-1) Won vs. Hawks: 127-105
Games Week 18: (2 games) Fri at Wizards | Sat at Heat
The Cavaliers players will return from the break to bid their current coach John Beilein farewell as he elects to move on. JB Bickerstaff will assume the role of head coach.
Story filed to ESPN: After a brief and tumultuous tenure, John Beilein is leaving as Cleveland's coach. Associate HC JB Bickerstaff will be elevated to head coach. Beilein's expected to say goodbye to staff and players on Wednesday upon team's return from All-Star Break.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 19, 2020
Reportedly Beilein never felt comfortable in the pro environment trying to implement similar methods as he did in the college setting never worked. Even if Altman was electing to add a vet why select AD whose best asset is his rebounding and rim protection which is arguably the one thing the Cavaliers do really well. They rank tied for seventh in offensive rebounding.
Ultimately, it could simply be a matter of having Drummond opt-in next season to use up cap space and then hope they can trade him and Love next season to open space for the big summer of free agency in 2021-22.
ESPN story on Cleveland and John Beilein discussing his early exit as coach — perhaps as soon as this week. https://t.co/ewhlFYqUpP
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 17, 2020
Cleveland ranks dead last in the East with the 29th overall rank and should focus on tanking to finish the season to improve their overall draft pick. Bickerstaff should get his youngsters as much playing time as possible but be careful how many ‘W’s they add as other teams will finally figure out it’s time they abandon the chase pack to join the tanking brigade.