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Though James Borrego was initially seen as the favorite to land the Cleveland Cavaliers head coaching job, Kenny Atkinson is reportedly “gaining steam,” per NBA insider Marc Stein.
Stein also reported that Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori is in contention for the job.
He added that the Cavs’ pick for head coach will likely “have a direct impact” on the Detroit Pistons’ search for a head coach after the team parted ways with Monty Williams on Monday. Stein noted that the Pistons are interested in Borrego.
The Cavs are looking for a replacement for JB Bickerstaff, who was let go by Cleveland after the team’s second-round playoff exit against the Boston Celtics.
The Cavs are seemingly down to two coaches in their search as Stein reported Thursday that Borrego and Atkinson are the “known finalists” for the job. If the Pistons take Borrego off the board before Cleveland can hire him, it could make the coaching search much more simple.
But Detroit is still very early on in its coaching hunt whereas the Cavs have been searching for their next coach since May. Cleveland completed interviews with both Atkinson and Borrego in May.
Atkinson has been an assistant coach in the NBA since 2008, spending the first four years of his career with the New York Knicks. After a stint with the Atlanta Hawks, he took over as the Brooklyn Nets head coach from 2016 to 2020, finding marginal success with one playoff appearance during his tenure.
He spent two seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers and has been with the Golden State Warriors since 2021, helping guide them to a title in 2022.
Borrego has similar coaching experience as Atkinson, serving as an assistant for most of his career. He was the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets from 2018 to 2022, failing to reach the postseason during his time there. He joined the New Orleans Pelicans staff as an assistant ahead of last season and is still with the team.
The Los Angeles Lakers hired JJ Redick to be their next head coach on Thursday, leaving just the Cavs and Pistons with vacant spots. With the NBA draft and other offseason duties approaching, Cleveland could be nearing a hire.
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