Ex Knicks Coach Lands Cavaliers’ Top Job

In an ironic twist, the Cleveland Cavaliers went after a former New York Knick.

Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Cavs are set to name former Knicks assistant Kenny Atkinson the 24th head coach in franchise history. It’s Cleveland’s first move of a potentially fateful offseason where the future of franchise face and recurring Knicks target Donovan Mitchell could hang in the balance.

Atkinson returns to the head coaching ranks after a three-plus year stint at the helm of the Brooklyn Nets. His first NBA job was an assistant coaching stint on Mike D’Antoni’s Knicks staff (2008-12). More recently, Atkinson was the Golden State Warriors’ top assistant and carries a ring from the 2022 NBA Finals.

Cleveland bid farewell to tenured boss J.B. Bickerstaff after disappointing postseason returns in the first two years of the Mitchell era.

The Cavs have won 99 games in the past couple, good for fifth-best in the NBA, but have fallen short of the conference final round. They lost to the Knicks in 2023’s opening round before they held off the Orlando Magic in seven games this spring. Cleveland, partly hobbled by Mitchell’s medically-induced absence, was no match for the eventual champion Boston Celtics, who ousted the Cavs in a five-game second round set.

Much has been made about Mitchell’s status but Atkinson will have a prime opportunity to work with former Brooklyn proteges Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert upon his arrival.

The trio helped the Nets earn some form of respectability back after a failed attempt at a superteam headlined by Boston imports Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. Atkinson won 20 games in his first year at the Brooklyn helm but had 42 triumphs by year three, which saw the Nets end a three-year playoff drought. The two sides parted ways late in the 2019-20 season.

Wojnarowski’s report mentions that Cleveland’s search came down to Atkinson and James Borrego, who is expected to turn his focus to the Detroit Pistons’ vacancy.

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