Knicks Coach Sends Goodbye After Leaving for Cavs

New York Knicks assistant coach Johnnie Bryant is heading to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Jeremy Brener | Jul 8, 2024

Jan 16, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Utah Jazz assistant coach Johnnie Bryant against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Jazz defeated the Suns 106-101. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks coaching staff is making some changes as Johnnie Bryant is leaving to join Kenny Atkinson's team with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Bryant, who turns 39 next month, was the associate head coach for the Knicks since 2020 when Tom Thibodeau arrived to lead the team. Before his time with the Knicks, Bryant spent six seasons on the Utah Jazz's staff led by Quin Snyder.

Bryant took to Instagram to thank Knicks fans and those within the organization.

“l am appreciative of the chance to have been able to grow and mature both personally and professionally during my time in New York," Bryant posted. "I will always cherish the memories made while here. Thank you to the city, community, and fans for opening your arms to me and my family. To the entire New York Knicks organization: Thank You! To the fans, the arena crew, the training staff, all my coworkers... they say you should always leave a place better than you found it, and I can say with confidence I was able to do my part in achieving that goal. Special thanks to James Dolan, Leon, Wes, and Thibs for giving me the opportunity to grow as a coach and a mentor of men."

Bryant leaving for the Cavs is a big loss for the Knicks. Bryant was part of helping the current team come together to form one of the more intriguing teams in the league. They shot up to the No. 2 spot in the Eastern Conference, winning 50 games under Bryant's guidance.

When Bryant arrived with the Knicks, they went 21-45 the year before, so to go from that to 50 wins is a job well done. Bryant helped the Knicks to three playoff appearances in his four years on the bench, and his contributions won't go unnoticed when New York has future postseason success.

With Bryant gone, the team could look to replace him with Maurice Cheeks, who was hired earlier this offseason to Thibodeau's staff. Cheeks is a former head coach with the Portland Trail Blazers, Philadelphia 76ers and Detroit Pistons and was a Knicks point guard from 1991-92.

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Published Jul 8, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.