Cavaliers Lose Assistant to Expanding WNBA
The Cleveland Cavaliers are facing another coaching departure as assistant Alex Sarama has been named the first head coach of the expansion Portland Fire in the WNBA. Sarama, who has served as an assistant and player development coach with the Cavaliers, will leave the NBA to take on the challenge of building the new WNBA franchise from the ground up.
Opportunity Knocks for Sarama
Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson expressed mixed emotions about the loss, acknowledging the "price of success" that comes with developing talented coaches on his staff. While the Cavs would prefer to retain Sarama, Atkinson recognized this as an exciting opportunity for his young assistant to lead an entire organization.
"It's a little bit the price of success," Atkinson said. "You're competitive. We had all these good coaches and you don't want to lose them, but the opportunity calls and that's just how the league works. You've got to be super happy for them."
Cavs Maintain Continuity Despite Turnover
Despite the departure of Sarama, the Cavaliers have worked to maintain continuity on Atkinson's coaching staff. The team recently announced a new Cavs app and enhanced fan rewards program for the upcoming season, signaling their commitment to building on last year's success.
TL;DR
- Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Alex Sarama has been named the first head coach of the expansion WNBA team, the Portland Fire.
- Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson expressed mixed emotions about the loss, acknowledging the "price of success" that comes with developing talented coaches.
- The Cavaliers have worked to maintain continuity on Atkinson's staff, recently announcing a new app and fan rewards program for the 2025-26 season.