Cavs conduct four head coaching interviews on Saturday

Per Woj, a new candidate - Magic assistant Steve Hetzel - can be added to the list.

The Cavs coaching search is taking further shape.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Cavs conducted four interviews on Saturday in Denver, where the Nuggets are set to host the Trail Blazers in a Game 7 on Sunday. Fittingly three of the interviews were with coaches working for the Nuggets or Trail Blazers — Denver’s Jordi Fernandez and Wes Unseld Jr. and Portland’s David Vanterpool. Additionally, per Woj, a Cavs contingent led by GM Koby Altman also interviewed Magic assistant Steve Hetzel in Denver.

Another Trail Blazers assistant, Nate Tibbetts, was also scheduled to interview with the Cavs Saturday, but a “scheduling conflict” will push that meeting until a to-be-determined date after Game 7.

Hetzel is an interesting addition to the Cavs’ coaching search. A Michigan State alum — as is team owner Dan Gilbert — he was the Canton Charge’s video coordinator in 2013-14. He also coached the Charge for season.

He was Orlando’s interim coach when Jacque Vaughn was fired during the 2013-14 season and currently works under Steve Clifford. His resume would seem to be lump him in with the younger, player-development focused coaches the Cavs are interested in. Every coach but Spurs assistant Ettore Messina and arguably ex-Grizzlies head coach J.B. Bickerstaff fits that mold.

Currently, it would seem to be a surprise if Altman hires a coach before Tuesday’s NBA Draft Lottery. The questions now are how much the search intensifies after the team knows where it’s going to pick and how much who they might be able to draft impacts their search, if at all.