Report: Cavs not interested in Pitino as coach

The Cleveland Cavaliers have apparently shot down a rumor that they spoke with Rick Pitino regarding their head-coaching vacancy.

"We are, respectfully, not interested in him at all," a source told Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor. "No conversations with him by (Cavs owner) Dan (Gilbert) or anyone else."

On Saturday, veteran basketball reporter Peter Vecsey wrote that Gilbert and Pitino had spoken about Cleveland's head-coaching role. Pitino told ESPN last year that he wants to return to the league where he hasn't worked in a coaching or executive capacity since 2001.

Pitino was fired by the University of Louisville last year in the wake of the NCAA corruption scandal that prominently involved the Cardinals. The Hall of Famer spent this past season coaching European powerhouse Panathinaikos, leading them to a Greek Cup title.

The Cavs parted ways with Larry Drew this month. The team wants to speak with coaching candidates currently involved with playoff clubs, sources told Fedor.