REPORT: Cavaliers Receive Permission To Interview Two Head Coach Candidates

According to ESPN Senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski, Cleveland has received permission to interview both Kenny Atkinson and James Borrego.

Logan Potosky | May 29, 2024

Jan 27, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors assistant coach Kenny Atkinson during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Chase Center. / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

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Cleveland Cavaliers

Back on May 23, after advancing to their first Eastern Conference Semifinals since 2018, the Cleveland Cavaliers parted ways with Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff.

Six days later, the team’s search for a new head coach has reportedly taken a step forward.

According to ESPN Senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the Wine and Gold have received permission to interview Golden State Warriors Assistant Coach Kenny Atkinson and New Orleans Pelicans Associate Head Coach James Borrego.

Atkinson, who will turn 57 years old on Sunday, served as the Head Coach of the Brooklyn Nets for four seasons from 2016-17 through 2019-20. He led the Nets to the 2019 NBA Playoffs, where the team fell 4-1 to the Philadelphia 76ers in a First Round series. Atkinson also finished fifth in the 2018-19 NBA Coach of the Year Award voting.

He has been an NBA assistant coach for 12 seasons, while also having ties to Cleveland’s current roster. Atkinson coached Caris LeVert during his first four NBA seasons in Brooklyn, the latter three of which he was teammates with Jarrett Allen.

Jan 27, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors assistant coach Kenny Atkinson during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Chase Center.

The 46-year-old Borrego served as the Head Coach of the Charlotte Hornets for four seasons from 2018-19 through 2021-22. In his last season with the Hornets, he led the team to its first winning record since the 2015-16 campaign. Borrego also served as the Interim Head Coach for the Orlando Magic during the 2014-15 season, going 10-20 in the team’s final 30 games.

He has been an NBA assistant coach for nine seasons, also serving as an assistant for the Magic and San Antonio Spurs.

Per Wojnarowski, Cleveland’s interview process for its head coach vacancy “will include several more candidates.”

Published May 29, 2024

LOGAN POTOSKY

Logan Potosky is an aspiring play-by-play sports broadcaster who, to date, has called approximately 350+ hours of professional, college, and high school sporting events. He is currently the Play-by-Play Broadcaster for the Lake County Captains, the High-A Affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. He graduated from John Carroll University in May of 2023 with a degree in Communication, with a concentration in Digital Media, and a minor in Entrepreneurship.