The Cleveland Cavaliers are set to hire Golden State Warriors assistant coach Kenny Atkinson as their new head coach, according to sources reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Wojnarowski indicated that a deal is expected to be finalized soon.
In their search, the Cavaliers also considered New Orleans Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego for the position. Borrego was a finalist for the Los Angeles Lakers’ head coach role and is anticipated to be a strong candidate for the Detroit Pistons’ vacancy, sources added.
With the coaching position filled, Cleveland will focus on signing All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell to a contract extension. The 27-year-old has one year remaining on his contract before he can opt for early termination and enter free agency. Mitchell had a conversation with Atkinson and approved his hiring, according to Chris Fedor of cleveland.com.
Atkinson, who previously served as the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets from 2016 to 2020, led the team to the playoffs in 2019, culminating in a memorable first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers.
After stepping down during the 2019-20 season, Atkinson joined the Los Angeles Clippers before moving to the Warriors. He was part of the coaching staff that contributed to the Warriors’ championship victory in 2022. During the NBA Finals, he had an informal agreement to become the next head coach of the Charlotte Hornets but decided to remain with the Warriors.
Known for his strong player development skills, Atkinson will reunite with former Nets players Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert. The Cavaliers are also interested in Atkinson’s development strategy for Evan Mobley, sources told Wojnarowski.
The Cavaliers parted ways with J.B. Bickerstaff after their second-round loss to the eventual champions, the Boston Celtics. Cleveland’s first-round win over the Orlando Magic marked the franchise’s first playoff series victory without LeBron James since 1998.
