Cavaliers Head Coach Candidates, Who Will Lead This Young Team?

J.B. Bickerstaff's tenure as head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers has come to an end. Now, the franchise will be looking to fill the shoes of the man who led this Cavs team to the postseason for the last three years.

The Cavaliers are coming off a brutal second-round playoff series where they fell to the Boston Celtics in five games.

Considering how the Donovan Mitchell contract situation plays out, Cleveland should still be a desirable destination for any coach.

They are one of the younger teams in the league with stars like Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, and Jarret Allen, who all already have some playoff experience.

Kenny Atkinson

NBA Insider Shams Charania reported that Kenny Atkinson and James Borrego were early favorites to take the coaching job in Cleveland.

The current assistant for the Golden State Warriors could now be looking to take his talent to Cleveland.

Atkinson is best known for his time with the Nets, where he helped turn that franchise around during the post-Deron Williams era. He led Brooklyn to a 42-40 record and a postseason berth back in 2017-18.

Kenny Atkinson has ties with Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen, who were members of that Nets team, making Atkinson an ideal candidate to help boost this young Cavs team.

James Borrego

Former Charlotte Hornets head coach and current New Orleans Pelicans assistant James Borrego is another leading candidate for the Cavs job.

Borrego did see some success throughout his time in Charlotte, leading them to the Play-In Tournament twice before being fired for failing to make the playoffs.

He did have more success as an assistant under the Gregg Popovich tree, where Borrego helped win two rings with the San Antonio Spurs; also giving him experience coaching a young roster.

J.J. Reddick

The Wild Card in this field of coaches is the 15-year NBA veteran J.J. Reddick, who has become a hot coaching candidate despite having no considerable experience.

Reddick has been interviewed by the Los Angeles Lakers and the Charlotte Hornets for their head coaching positions as well.

The aged veteran does have extensive experience in the league having played in the NBA for over a decade, as well as displaying his intelligent basketball mind on his podcast with LeBron James.

J.J. Reddick could bring forth his knowledge of the current game and relate to a young Cleveland Cavaliers team.

Frank Vogel

Former Phoenix Suns head coach Frank Vogel is another strong candidate for the Cavs.

Despite his disappointing tenure with Phoenix, which saw the team get unceremoniously swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves, Vogel could bring in some strong coaching experience; having won it all with the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2019-20 season.