Ex-Cavs assistant Jim Boylan suing team for age discrimination

Former Cavs assistant coach Jim Boylan is suing the team for age discrimination, according to a suit filed on Nov. 2. 92.3 The Fan personality Anthony Lima was the first to bring light to the suit.

Boylan, 63, was with the Cavs from 2013-2018. In the suit, he alleges that the Cavs “discriminate against employees and candidates for employment on the basis of age with respect to hiring, renewal, termination, pay, raises, benefits, and in terms and conditions of employment.” The suit also says that ex-Cavs coach Tyronn Lue, who was fired Oct. 28, fired Boylan via a voicemail.

“[Altman] does not want to pick up your option,” Lue said in the voicemail, according to the the filing. “He said it’s way too much money. They’re not gonna pay that kind of money for three assistants on the bench. He wants to go younger in that position and, you know, find somebody who’s a grinder and younger in that position.”

Damon Jones, 42, replaced Boylan on Lue’s staff. Jones, however, was fired along with Lue. James Posey, 41, and Mike Longabardi, 45, both remain on the staff and cited as examples of younger coaches received preference. Assistants Mike Gerrity, 32, and Dan Periot, 29, were named in the same vein.

Cavs owner Dan Gilbert and GM Koby Altman are both named as defendants in the suit.

Boylan is seeking a minimum of $25,000 in damages, plus lost income, and a chance to take his claims to a jury.

In a statement attributed to team chief council Jason Hillman sent out on Friday, the Cavs called Boylan’s suit “outrageous.”