The Cleveland Cavaliers have offered their coaching position to Paul Silas, league sources told ESPN.com, and Silas will accept the job, possibly as soon as Monday.

That lines up Silas, fired by the New Orleans Hornets on May 4, to be LeBron James' first pro coach.

Silas, sources said, is the Cavaliers' choice after the club conducted two interviews each with Silas and ex-New York Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy. ESPN.com reported Friday that Silas was the Cavs' leading candidate entering the weekend, despite persistent speculation that Van Gundy was mulling over a lucrative offer. Van Gundy, who along with Silas has also interviewed with the Houston Rockets, said Thursday that a return to coaching next season was only 50-50 and told USA Today: "I don't have an offer from either team."

Van Gundy was expected to demand more money and personnel control than Silas, who turns 60 in July and fits the veteran profile established months ago by Cavaliers owner Gordon Gund. Earlier in the season, Gund's interest was piqued by the Memphis Grizzlies' turnaround under Hubie Brown. That prompted Gund to make a rare road trip to Memphis to do some first-hand research on Brown's methods.