Newcomer Andre Drummond had expressed a lack of interest to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers had John Beilein remained as the Cavs head coach past this 2019-20 season, according to Jason Lloyd of The Athletic (h/t Keith Britton 92.3 The Fan).
Beilein, who signed a five-year deal with the Cavs this past summer, is slated to step down on Wednesday after meeting with the front office through the All-Star break.
Drummond hasn’t been a member of the Cavs for a full two weeks yet, but he was quick to admit he was traded to a worse situation than he was in Detroit with the Pistons.
The big man is owed a beefy $28.8 million if he opts into the last year of his contract next season, something the Cavs will have no control over unless they trade him.
Drummond got a quick look at his market value not being what he first imagined when talks with the Atlanta Hawks reportedly broke down due to his asking price on a potential contract extension. He figures to be the best available center if he hits the free-agent market in 2020, but it seems like his price requirements are more than what front offices are willing to pay.
Yet it says a lot that even a player with only a few days in the system has noticed how poorly Beilein fits in as an NBA coach. His now-teammates have been rumored to say some of the assistant coaches are more qualified to be a head coach.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Cavs already had a succession plan in mind for the 67-year-old Beilein, hiring J.B. Bickerstaff as his assistant — the man that will now take the helm the rest of the way.
