Knicks Top Assistant Moving Onto Cleveland

In an ironic twist, Donovan Mitchell appears to have recruited a New York Knick.

Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Knicks associate head coach Johnnie Bryant is set to accept the same position with the Cleveland Cavaliers. With the move, Bryant reunites with Mitchell, who recently agreed to a long-term deal that will keep him on the Cuyahoga.

Bryant, 38, had been on the Knicks’ staff since head coach Tom Thibodeau’s arrival in 2020, which followed six season as an assistant in Utah. Formerly a point guard the University of Utah, Bryant partly oversaw the first NBA seasons of Mitchell under top man Quin Snyder.

Bryant reportedly interviewed for Cleveland’s top job, which has since been accepted by former Brooklyn Nets boss Kenny Atkinson. Prior to his departure, Julius Randle credited Bryant for his resurgence in 2022-23, which netted All-Star honors after a disappointing follow-up to his breakout campaign the year before.

“Johnnie came and saw me and it was more like big brother, little brother, holding me accountable, talking to me, getting my mind right, more than anything,” Randle said in a report from Peter Botte of the New York Post. “He came to me and had an honest conversation. And it helped me put my ego and my pride to the side. And try to adjust my game and look at myself in the mirror and do what’s best for the team.”

While taking the same position in Cleveland may seem like a lateral move for Bryant, the writing was perhaps on the wall when the Knicks hired Maurice Cheeks to their staff earlier this offseason. Cheeks seems like the natural choice to succeed Bryant as Thibodeau’s lieutenant, as he boasts head coaching experience from Philadelphia, Portland, and Detroit.

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