Michigan head coach John Beilein has agreed to a five-year deal to become the next head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski:
This hire seems to come out of nowhere given all the reported interviews out there, but Woj points out plenty of links to Cleveland in his report. Cavs general manager Koby Altman has reportedly been intrigued by Beilein for quite some time, and assistant general manager Mike Gansey played for Beilein at West Virginia, so there’s a close relationship there. Cavs owner Dan Gilbert lives and works in Detroit, and while he previously tried to get Spartans head coach Tom Izzo to come to Cleveland, he has also been a longtime admirer of Beilein.
Furthermore, Beilein even had recent dalliances with the NBA, including talks with both the Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic a year ago before returning to coach the Wolverines. Since Beilein doesn’t have any NBA experience, the Cavs are expected to surround him with an experienced coaching staff.
The 66-year-old Beilein enjoyed a ton of success in Ann Arbor, going to two Final Fours and winning four Big 10 titles in 12 seasons. He was also successful at West Virginia and has racked up a 829-468 record in college. He has long been considered a terrific offensive mind, though his defenses at Michigan were also elite in recent years.
Beilein will be replacing recently departed interim coach Larry Drew as the Cavs look to move forward with their rebuild. Woj reports Cleveland expects Beilein to be a “culture-driver,” and he’s expected to join management at the lottery in Chicago on Tuesday. The Cavs have a 14.0% chance of winning the No. 1 pick.