The Bulls may be casting a wide net in their coaching search. And according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, Cavaliers associate head coach Johnnie Bryant is among the names to watch.
Bryant has steadily built momentum around the league over the past several years and was a finalist for the Suns head coaching vacancy last offseason before Phoenix ultimately hired Jordan Ott.
Basically, it feels less like a matter of if Bryant lands a head coaching job and more like when.
The 39-year-old has long been regarded as one of the NBA’s stronger player-development minds dating back to his early coaching days with the Bryant Sports Academy, where he worked with players including Damian Lillard and Paul Millsap.
Bryant joined the Jazz organization in 2012 as a player development assistant before eventually becoming an assistant coach under Quin Snyder. From there, he moved to the Knicks as associate head coach in 2020 and later joined Kenny Atkinson’s staff in Cleveland last summer.
He’s also known to have a strong relationship with Cavs star Donovan Mitchell dating back to their Utah days together.
Meanwhile, Scotto added that the Trail Blazers contacted Cleveland about assistant Omar Cook regarding a possible role on their coaching staff. Cook, a former NBA guard, briefly played for Portland during the 2003-04 season.
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Other than a few point percentage higher on FG, which comes with age for everybody, Mitchells stats in Utah looks exactly the same as they do in Cleveland.
I guess its just not obvious enough, in Mitchell, and every other Cav player, I am not seeing the “player development” aspect either. Mentally specifically, it seems no progress has been made. Mitchell looks more confused out there than ever.
What I’ve seen of Johnny Bryant does not support the narrative. Given that narrative on him, and looking at Donavan Mitchell and visibly seeing mental hesitation, mental inconsistency, lack of awareness on both sides.. I just don’t see it.
And I think the Cavs could use a new and consistent vision in the locker room. This Gilbert hiring of two head coaches was never a recipe for success. Nobody does that, no serious team does that. Look at our identity right now. It’s in pieces.. just like our coaching staff.