Report: Kenny Atkinson, James Borrego Leading Candidates To Become Next Cavaliers Coach

According to NBA insiders Joe Vardon, Shams Charania and Jason Lloyd of The Athletic, Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson and New Orleans Pelicans assistant James Borrego are considered leading candidates to become the next head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

The Cavaliers fired JB Bickerstaff.

Atkinson coached the Brooklyn Nets and went 118-170 in the regular season and 1-4 in the playoffs. 

Meanwhile, Borrego is 148-183 with the Charlotte Hornets and Orlando Magic. 

Cavaliers star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell, among other players, did not have great confidence in Bickerstaff as the coach for the future, per The Athletic.

Bickerstaff went 170-159 in the regular season and 6-11 in the playoffs with Cleveland. 

Cavaliers president Koby Altman admonished Bickerstaff in front of his entire staff for playing Mitchell heavy minutes against the Houston Rockets on December 18, per The Athletic. 

“Sources said Bickerstaff was nearly fired around Thanksgiving after the team’s poor start,” Vardon, Charania and Lloyd wrote. “He also was admonished by team president Koby Altman in front of his entire coaching staff for playing Mitchell too many minutes in a December win over the Houston Rockets in overtime while both Darius Garland and Evan Mobley were out.”

The Cavaliers lost to the Boston Celtics in the second round of this year’s playoffs in five games after defeating the Orlando Magic in the first round in seven games. 

This is a big offseason for the Cavaliers, as Mitchell can sign an extension for up to four years and around $200 million. The All-Star has a player option worth $37 million for the 2025-26 season.

One of the best scorers in the NBA, Mitchell can become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2025 if he declines his 2025-26 player option. 

If Mitchell becomes a free agent in 2025, he is eligible to sign for a max of five years and $269.9 million with the team that holds his Bird rights (the Cavaliers now) or four years, $200.1 million with a new team.

The Cavaliers are optimistic Mitchell will sign an extension with them this offseason.