(WXYZ) — John Beilein's first year as an NBA coach isn't going well, and a new report said that he and the Cleveland Cavaliers have talked about him stepping down.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski and Brian Windhorst of ESPN, Beilein was expected to make a decision regarding his future in the next day or two. He's reportedly expected to speak with Cavs GM Koby Altman as soon as Monday.
The Athletic followed up with a report saying that Beilein isn't expected to remain the Cavs' head coach beyond the end of the season.
In May, the 67-year-old signed a five-year contract and left the University of Michigan.
ESPN reports that friends and associates said Beilein is unhappy, and there have been several skirmishes in public and private with players.
In January, Beilein apologized for using the word “thugs” during a film session with his players the previous day.
ESPN.com, citing unidentified sources, reported that Beilein suggested during a Wednesday film session that his players were no longer playing “like a bunch of thugs.” Beilein told ESPN he had meant to say “slugs” in reference to the team's effort level.
Beilein repeated that explanation Thursday after his team's shootaround in Detroit, where the Cavaliers face the Pistons on Thursday night.
“I was saying: 'We’re making a lot of mistakes mentally, and we deserve better because we're really playing hard right now. We're not playing like slugs. We're playing hard,'" Beilein said. "And somehow that word came out.”
The Cavaliers are last in the Eastern Conference with a 14-40 record.
