HoopsHype.com Rumors

Jason Lloyd: Kyrie "emotions are running high. I'm trying to get over loss of my basketball father." #Cavs Twitter @JasonLloydABJ

Cleveland Cavaliers, Byron Scott, Coaching, Kyrie Irving 

Mary Schmitt Boyer/Jodie Valade: Tristan Thompson, speaking about Byron Scott, became choked up at one point, had to pause and regroup. Said Byron made him better man. #Cavs Twitter @PDcavsinsider

Cleveland Cavaliers, Byron Scott, Coaching, Tristan Thompson 

Joe Kotoch: One source tells PBD that "He [Scott] lost the locker room and his relationship with Kyrie began to erode." It was time to make change. Twitter @Probballdraft

Cleveland Cavaliers, Byron Scott, Coaching 

Joe Kotoch: The Scott firing had more to do with his relationships in the locker room than on the court. Players lashed out at Byron this season. Twitter @Probballdraft

Cleveland Cavaliers, Byron Scott, Coaching 

Sam Amico: Anderson Varejao on Byron Scott: "Coach is a great guy. I'm gonna miss him." Twitter @SamAmicoFSO

Cleveland Cavaliers, Byron Scott, Coaching, Anderson Varejao 

Byron Scott was fired today by the Cavaliers, a league source told the Akron Beacon Journal, one day after completing his third season in charge. He departs with a 64-166 record and his .278 winning percentage is the lowest in team history among all coaches (minimum one full season). Rumors over Scott’s future intensified over the past couple of weeks as the Cavaliers regressed during the month of April, blew big leads throughout the season and gave a sub-par effort on multiple nights. Akron Beacon Journal

Cleveland Cavaliers, Byron Scott 

Tom Withers: Nothing from #Cavs and nothing definitive from sources on Byron Scott's future. Will be addressed later today. Twitter @twithersAP

Cleveland Cavaliers, Byron Scott, Coaching 

Scott has one more year on his contract and no one within the organization has publicly or privately declared this to be his final game, but all indications are privately pointing to Scott being fired Thursday. Akron Beacon Journal

Cleveland Cavaliers, Byron Scott, Coaching 

Either way, one high-ranking official said the decision will be made quickly. When he meets with reporters Thursday for his end-of-season news conference, General Manager Chris Grant is expected to either definitively declare Scott the coach for next season or he will have already been fired. Akron Beacon Journal

Cleveland Cavaliers, Byron Scott, Coaching, Chris Grant 

In recent days, I waffled over whether letting Scott go is the right decision. I respect Scott from his playing days with the Los Angeles Lakers and admire his professionalism. Even in the face of questions about his future recently, Scott did not chide media members for their “league sources,” like former Browns coach Pat Shurmur did on his way out. Scott did give the media pause after the final home game Monday night when he said, “I am going to be back to coach ’em next year.” Asked if he’d been told that, Scott said, “I’ve got a year left on my contract, that’s how I figure it. Unless I’m told differently, that’s the way I approach it.” Akron Beacon Journal

Cleveland Cavaliers, Byron Scott, Coaching 

“After February I think all of us thought things were starting to turn the corner,” Scott said before the game. “Guys are starting to understand what it takes, then ‘boom,’ you kind of get hit in the face again. You’ve just got to keep picking yourself back up, you’ve got to keep fighting. “There’s probably four games in March we just gave away. That probably hurt more than anything.” Akron Beacon Journal

Cleveland Cavaliers, Byron Scott, Coaching 

Mary Schmitt Boyer/Jodie Valade: Kyrie Irving asked if he wants Byron Scott back: "Absolutely, I do want coach Scott back.'' Twitter @PDcavsinsider

Cleveland Cavaliers, Byron Scott, Kyrie Irving 

Byron Scott often presents a granite facade and the appearance that nothing really affects him, but he conceded for the first time Sunday that the rumors about his future in Cleveland sometimes bother him. “At this point, when you have games, it’s your outlet. When you’re on the court, that’s your outlet,” Scott said. “It’s when you have idle time is probably when it bugs you more than anything because you have to hear all this crap.” His players didn’t do much to help his job security with a pitiful effort Sunday in a 91-77 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Scott has long been close with Sixers coach Doug Collins, who also is dealing with rumors about his future in Philadelphia and recently endured a report that the team is hopeful he won’t return next season for the final year on his contract. “We’ve been doing this for a while, Coach Collins longer than I have,” Scott said. “It’s part of the job. The first time I got a coaching job, a good friend told me coaches are hired to be fired.” Akron Beacon Journal

Cleveland Cavaliers, Byron Scott, Coaching 

Jason Lloyd: How upset is BScott after last night? #Cavs holding a shootaround this am. First time in his 3yrs they've done that on 2nd of a back to back Twitter @JasonLloydABJ

Cleveland Cavaliers, Byron Scott, Coaching 

Tom Moore: #Cavaliers Byron Scott on rumors about his job security: 'It really doesn't bother me. It's part of the job. Whatever happens, happens.' Twitter @tmoorepburbs

Cleveland Cavaliers, Byron Scott, Coaching 

Lawrence Frank showed some fire Tuesday as he defended his profession. "I will admit it, it (ticks) me off sometimes," Frank said of the criticism his colleagues have been receiving this season. Byron Scott, whose Cavaliers host the Pistons tonight, is under intense pressure. John Beilein is being scrutinized for decisions he made in Michigan's 82-76 loss to Louisville in the NCAA championship. Detroit News

Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Byron Scott, Coaching, Lawrence Frank 

This is now: At Indiana Tuesday night, a 20-point cushion with just 8 minutes, 53 seconds to play became a 17-0 Indiana Pacers run, became a 35-10 mudslide in the quarter, became a 99-94 Pacers victory, became the fourth time in seven games the Cavs have led by 20 or more and lost. This time, Scott called one timeout after the first nine Pacers points and a second after the eight-point continuation of the Pacers' run. Nothing helped, particularly the fact that his big man, Tyler Zeller, fouled out with 4:48 to play. Still, this might be the point at which the too young/too inexperienced/too hurt excuses ran out, although they have some validity. But consider this statistic: In games in the shot-clock era with a lead of 20 or more points and less than nine remaining to play, according to a Tweet by ESPN.com and former Plain Dealer reporter Brian Windhorst, the all-time record for NBA teams is 4,382-2. "The biggest common thread is we start playing the game not to lose. To me, it's like you just stop playing," Scott said. Cleveland Plain Dealer

Cleveland Cavaliers, Byron Scott, Coaching 

Mary Schmitt Boyer/Jodie Valade: Asked whether he supports Byron Scott and would be disappointed if he were fired, Irving did not want to address the topic at this time . . Twitter @PDcavsinsider

Cleveland Cavaliers, Byron Scott, Coaching, Kyrie Irving 

Scott is believed to have the support of the front office, but there is a growing sense in Cleveland that Gilbert will be moved to make a change regardless, no matter how much Scott's fortunes have been affected by the various absences of Kyrie Irving, Anderson Varejao and Dion Waiters, and irrespective of the money Scott's owed in 2013-14. And if Scott sticks? It could well have as much to do with the Cavs' reluctance to dive into a crowded marketplace to find a replacement as anything. ESPN.com

Cleveland Cavaliers, Byron Scott, Coaching 

But one day after Cleveland was embarrassed at home by Brooklyn for its 10th straight loss, second-year Cavs forward Tristan Thompson decided it was time to defend Scott, who is just 62-160 in three seasons and may not be back for a fourth. "All the rumors about Coach Scott and hot seat and all that crap, that's bogus," Thompson said following Thursday's practice. "It's up to us to come out and compete and play hard because we're the ones out there. When he was out there playing, he won championships. So it's up to us to come out there and play." ESPN.com

Cleveland Cavaliers, Byron Scott, Coaching, Tristan Thompson