CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers have reportedly decided on their next head coach as the team looks to take the next step forward in their quest for a championship.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Cavs "are hiring Golden State assistant Kenny Atkinson as the franchise’s next head coach and sides are working on a contract that’s expected to be completed soon."
Atkinson, 57, has been an assistant with the Warriors for the past three seasons, winning an NBA championship in 2022. He spent the 2020-21 season as an assistant with the Los Angeles Clippers, working under former Cavs head coach Ty Lue.
Before that, Atkinson was the head coach of the Nets for four years, compiling a 118-190 record with one playoff appearance. While he was head coach in Brooklyn, Atkinson worked with future Cavaliers players Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert.
Atkinson began his NBA coaching career as an assistant with the New York Knicks in 2008. He moved on to Atlanta in 2012 as an assistant under Mike Budenholzer before getting his first head coaching opportunity in Brooklyn.
In 2022, Atkinson was offered the head coaching position with the Hornets after Charlotte fired James Borrego, who was also a candidate for the Cavs head coaching job this offseason. After briefly accepting the Hornets' offer, Atkinson changed his mind and remained in Golden State.
The arrival of Atkinson comes after the Cavs fired J.B. Bickerstaff in May. The 45-year-old Bickerstaff spent parts of five seasons as head coach of the Cavaliers, leading the team to back-to-back playoff appearances in each of the last two seasons. The Cavs won 99 regular season games over that span, but after disappointing postseason results, president of basketball operations Koby Altman said he felt like the team needed “someone with a new approach, someone with a different voice, a fresh set of eyes to help us move forward.”
With a new head coach apparently in the fold for the Cavaliers, their next priority will be to lock up All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell to a long-term contract. The 27-year-old can sign a four-year, $200 million contract extension with the Cavs this summer.
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