Cavaliers hiring Kenny Atkinson as head coach in surprising move
The Cavaliers have made their first important decision in what promises to be a franchise-altering offseason.
Cleveland will hire Kenny Atkinson as the franchise’s next head coach after firing J.B. Bickerstaff this offseason, ESPN.com reported.
The move could be considered somewhat of a surprise with former Hornets coach James Borrego previously considered to be the favorite for the position.
Borrego is now considered a “prominent candidate” to land the Pistons job after they shockingly fired Monty Williams with over $65 million left on his contract last week, according to the report.
The Cavaliers are keen on Atkinson’s ability to develop big men with the hope that Evan Mobley becomes more of a scoring force.
Bickerstaff’s dismissal came despite leading the Cavaliers to the second round of the NBA playoffs for the first time since LeBron James left the team for the Lakers in 2018.
The Cavaliers lost in five games to the eventual champion Celtics after beating the Magic in seven games.
The Cavaliers will have to decide if star guards Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland can co-exist and if that pairing is the future of the franchise.
Mitchell has one season left on his contract before a player option that could make him a candidate for an extension this offseason.
The Athletic reported that if Mitchell signs a long-term extension than Garland would prefer to be traded.
Atkinson, a 57-year-old Long Island native, was last a head coach with the Nets in 2020 and had been an assistant for the Clippers and Warriors since he was fired by Brooklyn.
Atkinson was let go by the Nets in the first year of the failed Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant experiment with the team at 28-34 and Durant yet to play as he recovered from an Achilles strain.
