CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers have obtained permission to interview Golden State assistant Kenny Atkinson and New Orleans assistant James Borrego for his or her head teaching emptiness, an individual conversant in the method informed The Related Press on Wednesday evening.
Cleveland fired J.B. Bickerstaff final week regardless of him main the crew to the second spherical of the playoffs.
Atkinson and Borrego are the primary candidates to be contacted by the Cavs, mentioned the one who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of the crew is within the early levels of an expansive search to switch Bickerstaff.
ESPN was first to report the crew getting clearance to talk with Atkinson and Borrego, each of whom have additionally been linked to the Los Angeles Lakers’ opening. Borrego has reportedly met with LA officers.
Washington crammed its opening Wednesday by protecting Brian Keefe, who was its interim coach after January.
Final week whereas discussing the choice to fireside Bickerstaff, Cavs president of basketball operations Koby Altman mentioned there was no timeline to discover a new coach.
Ideally, the crew want to have a coach in place by subsequent month’s draft however Altman isn’t speeding this resolution.
“It’s after we provide you with the best resolution for who’s the best match for this group and if it has to tug on somewhat longer, it does,” Altman mentioned.
The Cavs’ job is actually engaging.
Cleveland received 48 video games within the common season regardless of quite a few accidents, beat Orlando within the first spherical after which battled Boston for 5 video games within the Jap Convention semifinals regardless of enjoying the sequence with out heart Jarrett Allen as a consequence of a rib harm.
The Cavs had been additionally lacking All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell within the remaining two video games with a calf harm. Mitchell is eligible to signal a long-term contract extension this summer time and his future in Cleveland probably performed a job in Bickerstaff’s dismissal.
A longtime assistant underneath Mike D’Antoni in New York, the 56-year-old Atkinson acquired his first head teaching gig with Brooklyn in 2016. He went 118-190 with the Nets over 4 seasons earlier than stepping down.
Atkinson has been on Steve Kerr’s workers with the Warriors since 2021.
Borrego, 46, went 138-163 as Charlotte’s coach from 2018-22. He spent final 12 months as an affiliate head coach with the Pelicans and was credited with serving to enhance the crew’s offence — a serious want for Cleveland.
