NBA Cavs name Silas to nurture LeBron

The former Hornets coach will be the Cleveland franchise's 15th mentor.
CLEVELAND (AP) -- The Cleveland Cavaliers got a father figure, teacher, counselor and close friend wrapped up in a burly, smiling 6-foot-7 package.
Paul Silas is much more than an NBA coach, which is why the Cavaliers feel so lucky to have him.
"For us, for this team, Paul is the right man for the job," general manager Jim Paxson said.
On Monday, Silas was named coach of the Cavaliers, a young, struggling team that should get much better with the impending arrival of LeBron James.
Silas, credited with developing young players throughout his coaching career, will be the Cavaliers' 15th coach -- and the first for James, Cleveland's soon-to-be No. 1 overall draft pick.
"We couldn't be happier," said owner Gordon Gund, wearing the same lucky wine-and-gold tie he had on when the Cavaliers won the lottery. "We wanted the best coach available, and we think we got him."
Franchise turnaround
In less than two weeks, the Cavaliers, who have lost 220 games in the past four years, have gone from the NBA's wasteland to one of the league's hottest commodities.
First, they won the rights to the player everyone covets. And now, the Cavaliers have a coach to help James fulfill his massive potential.
"He was the right guy for this job," Gund said. "There was no question about it."
A fierce rebounder during his 16-year NBA playing career, Silas knows as well as anyone what is awaiting James.
"This is a tough league," said Silas, a two-time All-Star. "It's not a boy's league. This is a man's league. He's going to have to grow up right away."
And Silas' new job is to make sure James does.
Smart may stay
Silas is still assembling his staff. He said his son, Stephen, who worked for him with the Hornets, will be on it. Silas also plans to interview Keith Smart -- Cleveland's interim coach for 40 games last season -- about staying on.
Silas, who will turn 60 in July, was chosen over former New York Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy.
Paxson denied a report that negotiations with Van Gundy broke down last weekend because the GM wanted his new coach to guarantee playing time for James.
"What was said wasn't true," Paxson said. "That [playing time] was never an issue in any way with any of the prospective coaching candidates."
Silas said he'll determine James' playing time the same way he always has with any player.
"Players earn their minutes," he said. "I'll play anyone in order to win."
High expectations
Silas understands there will be unfair expectations placed on James, who recently signed a $90 million endorsement deal with Nike. Silas will be feeling the heat, too.
"There's going to be an equal amount of pressure," he said, "only his is going to be enormous, like 90 million reasons why. That's going to be something we'll have to deal with, in terms of how we bring this young man along.
"A lot of pressure is going to be on him. A lot of guys are going to shoot at him -- right now -- to show him he's not deserving of all the hoopla."
Silas took his teams to the playoffs in each of the past four seasons and twice led them to the second round. He also kept his team together in 2000 when many of the Hornets wanted to quit following the death of guard Bobby Phills.
In addition, Silas endured the franchise being relocated from Charlotte to New Orleans, getting the Hornets to the playoffs this season despite knowing he might not be back for another year.
"I love my players and I think at times I take on that [father figure] role," he said. "It's not something that I consciously do, but I like to talk to them about every aspect of their lives, not just basketball. I want them to become good men, good citizens."
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