Kenny Atkinson is a hell of a coach. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant drove him out of town, but the well respected veteran earned himself a ring on Golden State's 2022 Championship team as an assistant.
Atkinson turned down a job offer from the Charlotte Hornets in 2022 as he's been a little more selective of what kind of roster, front office set up and franchise he's taking over.
It now appears that Atkinson is in the running for the Cleveland Cavaliers job with JB Bickerstaff handed his walking papers, according to Shams Charania.
The Cleveland Cavaliers parted ways with head coach JB Bickerstaff, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson and Pelicans associate James Borrego are expected to be among candidates for the job. pic.twitter.com/PVU0ZUcRGb
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 23, 2024
If Atkinson ultimately becomes the choice, he'll coach two former players that were with him in Brooklyn: Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen.
Atkinson was able to tap into both players' potential and get the most out of them.
Unfortunately, the superstar era in Brooklyn saw Atkinson's demise, but the Cavaliers will be getting a high character coach that helps develop young players and creates selfless leaders.
With Donovan Mitchell's future unclear in Cleveland, the hiring of Atkinson would be a great insurance policy in case they end up losing their franchise player.
