The Cleveland Cavaliers have just hired Kenny Atkinson as their new head coach. Fresh off the heels of their firing of JB Bickerstaff, Atkinson has a big role to fill. How will he do? How has his career looked up to this point? Here’s a look at Kenny Atkinson’s potential leading the cavaliers.
Career overview
Atkinson began his coaching career in New York as an assistant with the Knicks back in 2008. After spending some time with the Atlanta Hawks as an assistant coach, Atkinson found himself as the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets in 2016.
During his four seasons with the Nets, he led the team to a record of 118-190. After his stint in Brooklyn, Atkinson was an assistant coach with both the Los Angeles Clippers and the Warriors.
This is Atkinson’s first time in the lead role since Brooklyn, and only second overall. While his lack of experience at head coach may not suggest success, there are some factors to his coaching that do.
Atkinson in Brooklyn
Although he posted an overall losing record while with the team, Atkinson was leading an extremely young group. At least, when he took the helm he was.
Two of the more prominent players of the early Atkinson Net years were D’Angelo Russell and Jarrett Allen. While Russell was named an all-star for the only time in his career during this period, Allen wasn’t given quite the same chance.
Atkinson was pushed out of Brooklyn by (primarily the wills of) Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. The pair were pushing for Steve Nash to take the reins of the team, and they ultimately got their wish. This wouldn’t last, however, as Nash was both promptly and publicly criticized before eventually leaving the team.
What Atkinson brings to the table
Despite his subpar record with the Nets, his coaching of both Russell and Allen are telling of what he can bring to the team. Russell, for example, has yet to reach the same level of play as he did when playing under Atkinson. The Cavaliers, as a team with a struggling guard in Darius Garland, could very much use that mentorship.
His faith in a young Allen, too, suggests that at least part of the interest in his hiring is for what he can do to help utilize Allen’s effectiveness. Considering both Garland and Allen have been linked to trade rumors, and Cleveland’s hesitance to move them, Atkinson could be the solution to both issues.
He also finished fifth in coach of the year voting in the 2018-19 season. This emphasizes the level of impact he can bring. to the team. This also speaks to the culture he helped establish in Brooklyn before his departure, which is still talked about among Nets fans as an extremely entertaining period for the franchise. If Atkinson can bring the same level of mentorship and camaraderie-building tactics he’s shown he can provide, the Cavaliers should be in good hands.
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Featured photo courtesy of NBA.com
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