INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — “This is Koby’s Show.”

That’s how Cleveland Cavaliers Owner Dan Gilbert explained the hiring of Coach John Beilein.

Koby is Koby Altman, the Cavaliers general manager.

Gilbert is an owner who has pushed for some coaches to be hired (David Blatt and Mike Brown, Part 1). In other cases, he went with the choices of the front office (Byron Scott, Tyronn Lue and Mike Brown, Part 2).

Beilein becomes the Cavaliers’ sixth coach since 2010, replacing Larry Drew. He was the coach at the University of Michigan for the last 12 years. Gilbert lives in Detroit and is a Michigan State supporter.

“This narrative that I drove this (Beilein hiring) is wrong,” said Gilbert. “A few weeks ago, Koby brought up John to me. I obviously knew who he was, but I never met him.

"Koby put the bug in my ear, and I became very interested.”

After Tuesday’s press conference, Gilbert and I talked at length.

He explained how Altman had a group of eight front office people meet with Beilin.

“All eight loved him," said Gilbert. "All eight wanted to hire him. They were polled individually. That caught my attention. This was a week before I met with John.”

THE KITCHEN MEETING

On May 10, Gilbert went to meet with Beilein at the coach’s home in Ann Arbor. There was no agent involved, just the owner and the coach.

“I asked him, ‘If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?’” said Gilbert. “Most people say, ‘I’m a workaholic…I’m a perfectionist.’ They rarely admit to anything they really need to change.”

But Beilein told Gilbert, “I sometimes make things a little too complicated. I have too many plays.”

That endeared Beilein to Gilbert: “I appreciated that answer. It also shows self esteem.”

Gilbert loved the unpretentious meeting at the coach’s house. He loved the story of Beilein’s journey from a junior varsity high school coach to coaching at every college level – and now to the NBA.

“Within 90 seconds, you feel like you’ve known him all your life,” said Gilbert. “You couldn’t find anyone to say anything bad about the guy.”

Beilein is 66. He had heart by-pass surgery on August 7, 2018. The coach didn’t know he had a heart problem. It was discovered during a regular physical exam.

“He is in better shape now than before,” said Gilbert. “He is incredibly thin. His personality is that of a 40-year-old. Age is just a number. My father always said that. I believe it. He lived to be 91."

Gilbert and Beilein cut a deal on a five-year contract.

“There is a report that we had to pay him all this money,” said Gilbert. “It’s a good contract, but the salary is very reasonable.”

Beilein does have a lawyer to “look over the contract,” according to Gilbert.

LIFE WITH LEBRON

“With LeBron (James), there was a limited shelf life in terms of his age and his contract commitment,’’ said Gilbert. “It’s a win now at all costs. . . It all revolves around the sun, which is him."

Gilbert paused, then added: "Whatever pressure comes with it, it worked out. We won a title.”

Gilbert’s point was the team couldn’t develop players during the four seasons of James’ second tour with the Cavs (2014-18). The goal was to surround James with veterans to push for a title.

Gilbert said some of the coaching changes were “due to the win-now culture with LeBron.” But those also were the best four seasons in franchise history, the 2016 title and four consecutive trips to the NBA Finals.

Heading into the 2017-18 season, the Cavs knew James could leave as a free agent because he had an “out-clause” in his contract.

“Unless someone has at least verbally committed, you had to assume that could happen,” said Gilbert. “We were better prepared this time around."

Gilbert noted the Kyrie Irving trade with Boston led to the Cavs adding young players Collin Sexton, Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson.

KYRIE IRVING TRADE

After the 2017 playoffs, Irving demanded a trade. The All-Star guard had two years left on his contract. Gilbert said the longer they waited to deal Irving, the more his value would drop.

“It becomes a melting snowball,” said the owner. “We had to trade him when we did. What team would want Kyrie with only one year on his contract knowing he could leave after the season? You won’t get much back (under those circumstances).”

But there was something else.

“The agent was telling us, if we don’t trade him, there is some surgery he is on the borderline of having on his knee,” said Gilbert. “It was possible he could be out for most of the year. It turned out to be true.”

Irving missed the 2018 playoffs because he had two knee surgeries. He was relatively healthy this season, but the Celtics had a rocky year and were wiped out of the post-season in the second round.

“I don’t know, but I think Kyrie will leave Boston,” said Gilbert. “We could have ended up with nothing. Looking back after all the moves Koby made, we killed it in that trade.”

MOVING FORWARD

Gilbert thinks he has the right combination in the Koby Altman front office plus Beilein as coach.

“Koby is 36 years old,” he said. “We want him around for a long time."

Gilbert knows there’s no quick-fix coming as happened after James left in the summer of 2010. Back then, the front office thought there was a possibility the Akron native could return in four years, which happened.

“We have to build a culture and a team, beyond just adding a lot more talent,” said Gilbert. “I really believe in this front office and the coaching staff. We are putting together a team based on culture and character.”