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J.B. Bickerstaff’s time as head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers came to an end on Thursday morning.
After his firing, the search for his replacement began and apparently, the Cavaliers have narrowed it down to a few candidates.
Speaking on “Run It Back,” Shams Charania said that Kenny Atkinson and James Borrego are among the leading candidates to replace Bickerstaff.
Charania added that there is “a lot of optimism” around the Cavaliers that they’re going to get a contract extension from Donovan Mitchell for four years and $208 million.
“J. B. Bickerstaff is out as head coach in Cleveland, sources tell me that Kenny Atkinson and James Borrego are among the leading candidates to replace Bickerstaff…There is a lot of optimism around the Cavs that they’re going to get a commitment from Donovan Mitchell on a… pic.twitter.com/9NkzsXTIkm
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) May 23, 2024
Both Atkinson and Borrego have been in the NBA for years.
Atkinson was an assistant coach for the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks for years before he was the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets for four seasons.
He then worked as an assistant for the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors.
As for Borrego, he was an assistant coach for the New Orleans Hornets, Orlando Magic, and San Antonio Spurs and he was also the head coach for the Magic and Charlotte Hornets for four seasons.
Both names have been attached to other teams recently during head coach searches.
Whoever gets the job with Cleveland will have a tough task because they are looking to be one of the best teams in an increasingly tough Eastern Conference.
They did well during this year’s regular season, but things will only get harder in the years ahead as teams like the Magic, New York Knicks, and Milwaukee Bucks get better.
There was a lot of talk about how weak the East was this year but that won’t be the case much longer.
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