While Cleveland Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman said that in a perfect world, the Cavs would have the successor to J.B. Bickerstaff in place before the 2024 NBA Draft. Unfortunately, the world isn't perfect, and Altman knows that Cleveland has to remain patient and pragmatic in the organization's coaching search.
So, even if that means the Cavs could miss out on a candidate like J.J. Redick or Sam Cassell to the Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland can't rush things. That methodology is sound, especially with Donovan Mitchell's future could be in the balance.
This approach has led to some candidates that make almost too much sense, like current New Orleans Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego. It's also led to some surprising mentions, including Terry Stotts and Dave Joerger as possible candidates.
While Stotts and Joerger's names appearing in the ether could be part of the Cavs doing their due diligence, neither should seriously come under consideration – especially when the franchise's future could be in balance.
Why Terry Stotts and Dave Joerger stink for the Cavs
Sure, when looking at either Stotts or Joerger, there are arguments to be made for either candidate to coach Cleveland. Stotts, the 2016 Coach of the Year runner-up during his time with the Portland Trail Blazers, has amassed 540 wins between the regular and postseason. Joerger, meanwhile, went 147-99, including two seasons with 50-plus wins.
Under Stotts, the Blazers routinely had teams that excelled offensively. In his nine seasons with Portland, they had a top-10 scoring average in seven seasons. This is largely due to their elite 3-point shooting, which would make sense for the Cavs and their three-point heavy attack.
Meanwhile, under Joerger, his team in Memphis ran its offense through the low-post and put up fewer points than one with a perimeter-based approach. But while running the show with the Sacramento Kings, Joerger's teams initially were behind the curve offensively. Although that might seem concerning, Joerger's Sacramento teams ranked ninth in points per game (114.2), largely due to their 3-point proficiency.
But when comparing their overall success to their respective postseason success, the argument that can be made for either Stotts or Joerger begins to crumble.
When the games matter most, Stotts went 23-43 in the playoffs, winning just 34.3 percent of his games with an offense spearheaded by a future Hall-of-Famer in Damian Lillard. Meanwhile, Joerger went 9-13 in the postseason, with two first-round exits, including a sweep from a San Antonio Spurs team led by Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge.
So, while either candidate has plenty of regular-season success, both have the reputation of flaming out when the lights are the brightest. Considering that Cleveland is looking for a coach who can push them past a second-round exit, neither Stotts nor Joerger fits that billing. Sure, it could lead to a new voice that gives the Cavs a more conducive offensive identity. But regular-season success doesn't mean much when compared to postseason success, which neither Stotts nor Joerger possess.
Granted, that doesn't mean either coach is absolutely worthless, but they'd probably best work as an assistant coach if Cleveland hired a first-time head coach like New York Knicks assistant Johnnie Bryant. Maximizing support around a first-time coach is key and while Stotts and Joerger have their flaws, they would be perfect candidates as lead assistants instead of head coaches.
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