Report: Cavaliers Exec Koby Altman ‘Spearheaded’ Hiring Of Kenny Atkinson

According to NBA insider Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports, Cleveland Cavaliers exec Koby Altman “spearheaded” the hiring of Kenny Atkinson.

The Cavaliers hired Atkinson over James Borrego. 

Someone familiar with the Cavs process says team president Koby Altman spearheaded the hiring of new head coach Kenny Atkinson

— Vincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) June 24, 2024

Atkinson went 118-190 with the Brooklyn Nets in the regular season. He was 1-4 in the postseason. 

Atkinson has strong relationships with Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert. He coached them in Brooklyn.  

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert liked Atkinson since Tom Izzo is an Atkinson fan.

“Potentially boosting Atkinson’s chances: Legendary Michigan State coach Tom Izzo is said to be an Atkinson fan. Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, of course, is a well-known Izzo fan who graduated from Michigan State and is said to have resumed significant involvement in team affairs compared to recent years,” Stein wrote. 

The Cavaliers lost to the Boston Celtics in the second round of the 2024 playoffs in five games. They beat the Orlando Magic in the first round in seven games. 

Donovan Mitchell is expected to sign a four-year extension with the Cavaliers this offseason. The All-Star can sign a four-year, $208 million deal. 

One of the top scorers in the NBA, Mitchell averaged 26.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.1 assists in 2023-24 while shooting 46.2% from the field, 36.8% from beyond the arc and 86.5% from the free-throw line.

According to NBA insiders Shams Charania, Joe Vardon and Jason Lloyd of The Athletic, Altman admonished JB Bickerstaff in front of his entire staff for playing Mitchell heavy minutes against the Houston Rockets on December 18. 

“In the second game after they learned in December they’d be without both Darius Garland and Evan Mobley for a while, the Cavaliers beat the Rockets in overtime,” Charania, Vardon and Lloyd wrote. “That night on Dec. 18, Mitchell played 45 minutes, including the entire second half and all but four seconds of the extra period.

“After the game, Altman walked into the coach’s office and admonished Bickerstaff in front of his entire staff for playing Mitchell such heavy minutes, multiple sources briefed on the interaction told The Athletic. Descriptions of the incident spread across the organization, including the locker room.”