The Cleveland Cavaliers are hiring Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson as their next head coach and are in negotiations over a contract, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The development of young forward Evan Mobley was reportedly a factor in their decision. Mobely’s development had taken a backseat once Donovan Mitchell got to town. However, it seems with the new head coach prioritizing winning and developing Mobley is now at the forefront.
Just In Time For The NBA Draft
Before the 2024 NBA draft starts on Wednesday, the Cavaliers were “hoping” to have a new head coach, according to earlier reports from Shams Charania, Joe Vardon, and Jason Lloyd of The Athletic. The two finalists were Atkinson and James Borrego, assistant for the New Orleans Pelicans.
“Borrego, sources said, was the front-runner as of last week, until Cleveland’s front office met with Cavs majority owner Dan Gilbert on Wednesday,” The Athletic said. “Atkinson’s candidacy gained considerable momentum after the meeting between Gilbert and team executives.”
Two Man Race
Borrego and Atkinson were positioned as the front-runners to succeed J.B. Bickerstaff from the beginning. Their profiles are those of offensive specialists who have served as head coaches in the NBA.
During his four years with the Charlotte Hornets, Borrego led them to the 2021–22 play-in round with a winning percentage of.458. In his four seasons with the Brooklyn Nets, Atkinson’s winning percentage was .383, but that doesn’t fully convey how successful he was in starting from zero when he joined the team.
Mitchell’s Future
Regarding Cleveland, nothing is more pressing than Mitchell’s future. According to The Athletic, the Cavaliers are getting ready to make the five-time All-Star a four-year, $209 million offer. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype earlier revealed on June 12 that “several” NBA executives anticipated Mitchell would resign. Since the nature of his work depends so much on Mitchell’s decisions, Atkinson finds himself in a fairly precarious situation.
Since the 27-year-old will be a year away from free agency, Cleveland may not have much choice but to move him if he chooses not to re-sign. Without Mitchell, the Cavs would undoubtedly regress, but they would still be a playoff threat.
If Mitchell were to pledge his future to the company, Kenny Atkinson would have to start producing results immediately. In 2025, anything less than a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals would likely be considered a setback. One would assume that Darius Garland, Mobley, and Jarrett Allen would be enough to make this chance appealing no matter what Mitchell’s situation turns out to be.
Click here for more basketball content!
Join the Fantom Sports Discord!
Follow Fantom Sports on Instagram!