The Cleveland Cavaliers' coaching candidate list reportedly includes a Chicago Bulls assistant, Alvin Gentry and Vinny Del Negro. Former Memphis Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins, meanwhile, reportedly has also emerged as a candidate for Cleveland's head coach.
Cleveland appears to be casting a wide net to find a replacement for recently fired head coach Mike Brown.
"Chicago Bulls assistant coach Adrian Griffin, meanwhile, is scheduled to interview with the Cavaliers on Tuesday," Sam Amick of USA Today Sports wrote on Sunday. "Clippers assistant coach Alvin Gentry and former Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro, who have ties from their Phoenix Suns days with Cavaliers general manager Dave Griffin, are also expected to be interviewed."
Hollins, who led Memphis to three straight playoff appearances before being fired last summer, has also emerged as a sought-after candidate for at least two teams. He's now "in the mix" for both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cavaliers' head coaching vacancies, according to Amick.
"In the wake of the Memphis Grizzlies front-office shakeup that appears to have indirectly benefitted their former coach, a person with knowledge of the situation said Hollins is now in the mix for both the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers coaching position," Amick wrote.
Adrian Woknarowski of Yahoo Sports also reported the Lakers as interested in Hollins, which would create competition for Cleveland if Griffin goes after the defensive-minded coach.
"Lionel Hollins has emerged as a candidate for the Los Angeles Lakers' coaching job, league sources told Yahoo Sports," Wojnarowski wrote on Sunday. "Lakers management plans to interview Hollins later this week, league sources said."
Cleveland likely plans to have a coach in place before next month's NBA draft, in which they hold the No. 1 pick. The Cavaliers are expected to select either Andrew Wiggins or Joel Embiid, although trying to trade the pick for a proven All-Star, such as Minnesota Timberwolves star Kevin Love, is also a possibility.
