What New Head Coach Kenny Atkinson Brings to the Cavaliers – Sports4CLE, 6/24/24
the Cavs dominating the news today they are getting set to name Kenny Atkinson their new head coach Wednesday will be the draft we expect a Donovan Mitchell extension as well so Atkinson uh was the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets from 2016 to 2020 is record one great uh 118 and 90 now um it was a full rebuild during his time with the Nets and he did get him to the playoffs in that third year before he got fired in his fourth year last three years he’s been an assistant on Steve’s Kerr’s staff with Golden State Warriors Tim Doyle from CBS Sports HQ on if Kenny Atkinson is the right coach for the Cavs at this time Kenny Aton seems to be a perfect fit guy got D’Angelo Russell be an Allstar it’s up to Caris LT and Jared Allen to keep Donovan Mitchell there if they keep Donovan Mitchell there um they’re not that far away they go grab one key free they’re not that far away from competing to go in the NBA Finals Kenny’s a very well-respected mind and obviously you know Steve curr’s Won multiple championships he’s considered one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time and he had Kenny Ain is sitting by him side by side over the last couple of years so uh I think Kenny’s a great basketball mind when he got to Brooklyn you know it was a disaster he gets them into the playoffs they bring Kyrie in kyri doesn’t like him he’s fired so that’s the NBA with that let’s welcome in Sam from hoops .c so Sam who is Kenny Atkinson and what kind of the coach are the Cavs getting set to hire yeah you know he’s a veteran coach obviously uh 56 years old not a super young guy but has had a lot of uh different experiences as we heard just there not only the coach of the Nets uh for a while but also was with Doc Rivers for a year with the Clippers and then went on to Steve Kerr um with the Warriors and you know just a guy who’s been around and and been around the league and people know who he is and I think that’s who the Cavs wanted was a guy who you know had some experience not only as a head coach but had been in winning situations obviously in a winning situation with the uh Warriors there for a while so you know and he’s kind of been looking for the right position uh was offered the Hornets job a few years ago accepted the job then turned it away so you know I think that he just felt at that time it wasn’t the right job and you know now with the Cavs feeling confident that Donovan Mitchell’s going to be back uh obviously I think Kenny Atkinson thought yeah this is this is finally the place for me the job for me and uh you know he’s just a veteran coach who’s really been kind of respected for his offensive mindset uh particularly getting those Nets into the playoffs which which that that year they were really underman uh and people thought that he did a very nice job getting them into the playoffs and of course was the last coach fired before the league shut down uh because of covid so he is an offensive mind and and the thought is he can find a way to to make this um offense work you have looks like you have pieces you got to make him fit together that’s just it you know who’s going to get Evan Moy to the next level that was big part of the interview process that the Cavs wanted to know how are you going to help develop Evan Moy what’s your plan if you get this job what are you going to do to help him rise to the next level how are you going to make all these guys fit you know uh there’s some questions about fits with Jared Allen and Evan Mobley uh Darius Garland Donovan Mitchell you know maybe maybe Garland gets traded maybe he does but if he doesn’t how how does this all work uh and that’s things that they went over in the in the coaching interviews and and Kenny Atkinson came up with probably the best answers and look you know we saw what happened with Mike Brown after his time with golden state right Mike Brown used to tell me all the time when he coached cavy uglier the game the better well now Mike Brown went to Steve Kerr learned some things grew as a coach there and now the Sacramento Kings under Mike Brown are one of the top offensive teams in the entire NBA the Cavs have been really good defensively we always very good defensively under JB bickerson staff there were some questions about their offensive flow that’s where Kenny Atkinson brings to the table is he’s had some time under Steve Kerr learning that system can he apply that to the Cavaliers that’s what we’re about to find out
Dave Bacon and Sam Amico discuss what Kenny Atkinson brings to the Cavaliers as their next head coach.
Watch Sports4CLE Monday-Friday live at 4 pm ET on Cleveland.com.
You can leave a voicemail for the show at (216)200-6650.
1 Comment
I personally like the hire. I know his record as a coach wasn't super, but he's had a lot of experience under great coaches and has a history with JA and Caris. Go Cavs!