1:47pm: The Cavs have officially hired Walton, the team announced in a press release.
“We are very excited to add someone of Luke’s caliber and championship DNA to our coaching staff,” said president of basketball operations Koby Altman. “His on-court experiences as a head coach, assistant coach and player in this league fit seamlessly into J.B.’s existing coaching staff. Luke is someone who truly embraces player development, a team-first mentality, and a history of creating winning basketball habits. We welcome Luke, his wife Bre and the entire Walton family back to Northeast Ohio.”
11:23am: Luke Walton will be hired as an assistant coach under J.B. Bickerstaff with the Cavaliers, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Walton started the 2021/22 season as the head coach of the Kings, but was fired in November after the team got off to a 6-11 start. He compiled a 31-41 record in each of his first two full seasons with Sacramento and never came close to breaking the franchise’s long playoff drought. His four-year contract with the Kings runs through the end of next season.
Walton also spent three years as head coach of the Lakers, compiling a 98-148 record with no playoff appearances. He was fired in L.A. after the end of the 2018/19 season and was hired in Sacramento a few days later.
Walton ended his playing career in Cleveland, spending a season and a half there before retiring after the 2012/13 season.