Cavaliers Rumors: Larry Drew Parts Ways with CLE After Less Than 1 Season

The Cleveland Cavaliers and head coach Larry Drew "mutually parted ways" Thursday, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski added more information on the team's pending job search:

Drew, 61, took over as Cleveland's interim coach when the Cavaliers fired Tyronn Lue in October following an 0-6 start. At the time, Drew made it clear he was hoping for a longer-term role with the Cavaliers, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com:

"The way I look at it, it's not a very complicated situation. It's obvious this team is going in a different direction with the group that we do have and with the decisions that have been made with the organization. I would like to be part of it long term, to be perfectly honest. I've been through the rebuilding process as a player and as a coach and I feel I know what it takes. Certainly when you talk about rebuilding, it's not an easy thing to do. It's usually something that takes a little time.

"If it's going to take some time, I'd like to be part of that. I made the organization pretty aware of that, that this is something that's not going to happen overnight. In order to be a part of that, I feel that it's going to have to be something done with a little bit more security."

He also said in late October he was "disappointed" the team didn't restructure his contract, according to the Associated Press.

By January, it became clear Drew wasn't a part of the organization's long-term plans. Joe Vardon and Jason Lloyd of The Athletic reported the team didn't consider Drew a serious candidate as a long-term coaching option and would instead "likely target a first-time NBA head coach with experience developing players and/or coaching in the G League."

Drew didn't exactly dispel those reports when he told The Athletic, "I don't know if I ever want to be a head coach again after this year."

Under Drew, the Cavaliers went 19-57, though young players such as Collin Sexton and Cedi Osman showed growth under the veteran coach.

However, the Cavaliers clearly never saw Drew as a long-term solution and only intended for him to remain an interim head coach. Drew may not be interested in serving as a head coach at this point in his career, but he figures to have suitors for his services in an assistant capacity.