On Friday, Cleveland Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman said the team didn't have a timetable set for its upcoming coaching search.
It appears the Cavs are ready to get the interview process started.
According to ESPN Adrian Wojnarowski, Cleveland will conduct its first interviews this week, with talks planned with Miami Heat assistant coach Juwan Howard and Dallas Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley. Don't, however, expect the Cavs' search to end quickly, with Wojnarowski reporting Altman plans on meeting with an "expansive list" of candidates, including assistant coaches on teams currently participating in the playoffs.
"We want to make sure we get this right," Altman said at Cleveland Clinic Courts on Friday. "We also want to make sure we get to know these candidates really really well, flush this thing out and I hate to keep using this word, but make sure it's the right fit.
"Make sure it's the right fit for our front office, for our players, for our fanbase. We want availability, grinding -- all that kind of stuff. We want to make sure that's the right fit and for that person, that we're the right fit for them too."
After ending his 19-year playing career following the Heat's victory in the 2013 NBA Finals, Howard has spent the past six seasons as an assistant with Miami. In addition to the Cavs, the former 'Fab 5' big man has been linked to the Los Angeles Lakers head coaching position, which became open on Friday after the team parted ways with Luke Walton.
Mosley, meanwhile, is no stranger to Cleveland, having served as an assistant with the Cavs under Byron Scott and Mike Brown from 2010-14. For the past five seasons, he's worked under Rick Carlisle in Dallas, where he's earned praise for his defensive strategies and player development.
In addition to Howard and Mosley, the Cavs' opening has been linked to assistant coaches around the league including Wes Unseld Jr. and Jordi Fernandez of the Denver Nuggets and Alex Jensen of the Utah Jazz. According to Wojnarowski, Cleveland will also consider the college coaching ranks when looking for its replacement for Larry Drew, who the team mutually parted ways with earlier this week.
