Tom Izzo Spurns Cleveland Cavaliers to Stay with Spartans, What’s the Next Move for Cleveland?

Posted by By Sports Session at 16 June, at 12 : 31 PM Print

The Cleveland Cavaliers put their coaching hopes on Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo, which if you analyze it can be looked at as a good or dumb move.  How successful would a college coach, even one as accomplished as Izzo do in the NBA?

Well, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, who has led the Spartans to six Final Four appearances in 12 seasons including a national championship in 2000, has turned down an offer to become the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Detroit Free Press and ESPN report.

There was a report last week that Izzo reached out to James to get some clarity on what he was thinking in terms of his free agency decisions.  It was a smart move by Izzo because with James there was a much higher chance of success than without him, which would have definitely set Izzo up for failure.

Now the underlying question is “What effect will this decision have on the LeBron James sweepstakes?”  This decision delivers a huge blow to the Cavs’ chances of reeling in LeBron once the NBA free agency begins on July 1st, 2010. Cleveland’s head coach situation is still in flux and the Cavaliers have become synonymous with not be able to execute and perform come playoff time.

James has constantly been compared to the likes of Michael Jordan and Earvin “Magic” Johnson, but his legacy will not be complete until he wins a Larry O’Brien trophy. And evidenced by the Cavaliers’ recent performances in the NBA playoffs, that will not happen if he stays with Cleveland.

Meanwhile, the only realistics front runners for Lebron’s services are the Chicgo Bulls, and New Jersey Nets. But the Nets are in rebuilding mode right now and they have a new owner in billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov as well as a new head coach in former ESPN NBA analyst and Mavericks head coach Avery Johnson. I really do not believe that LeBron would go to a team in a rebuilding stage so that puts their odds in getting LeBron around 10 percent in my opinion.

It will always be good water cooler conversation about how Tom Izzo would have done had he accepted the Cavaliers head coaching offer.  Being a head coach in the NBA is a drastic change from the college ranks, and it would have been interesting to see Izzo attempt to make the transistion.  Maybe he will eventually take a chance on the NBA, but we will have to wait and see if that ever comes to pass.

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