John Beilein Being Reassigned to Another Job With Cavs After Resigning as Head Coach is a Classic Cavs Move

The Cleveland Cavaliers finally managed to end the John Beilein era after just 54 games, 40 of which they lost. Cleveland announced that the former Michigan coach was stepping down as Cavs head coach, but he isn't totally out in Cleveland just yet.

In turn, the Cavaliers announced that Beilein will transition to an unspecified role within the organization, baffling all onlookers.

Cavaliers are re-assigning John Beilein to a different role in the organization. https://t.co/uumaJYe2Jc
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 19, 2020

Beilein's first and only season as a pro coach has been a nightmare. From players "tuning him out" over his college-style approach to running a team, to him calling the players "thugs" by accident, the stench of failure has gotten so bleak that Andre Drummond has declared that he would not re-sign in Cleveland if Beilein was the head coach...after just a week of playing there.

It's nice to see Beilein land on his feet and stay in basketball, but what sort of message does it send to the locker room when the one major problem in the locker room was finally dealt with, only to be retained later in a very puzzling move? What leeway has he earned here?

More Beilein: "I grew concerned for the consequences this toll could potentially take on my own health and my family’s well-being down the road. I was not certain I could be at my best for the remainder of the season and in the future.”
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 19, 2020

The toll of $12 million guaranteed over four years? What is the toll? And shouldn't said toll result in some additional time off?

Beilein was 66 and was a college coach for 40 years. He very clearly just wanted to get an NBA job to tell everyone he did it and finish his climb up the coaching ranks. Unfortunately, talking to grown adults like kids he has authority over, and not realizing the culture was going to be different has ultimately sunk Beilein as an NBA coach.

But perhaps he'll thrive in his unspecified new role! Who's to say?