Cleveland — May 26, 2026
Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson is expected to return for a third season leading the team, along with his entire staff and the current front office remaining intact, despite the Cavs' disastrous Eastern Conference Finals performance against the New York Knicks, per multiple reports.
East Finals Collapse
Atkinson's seat grew increasingly warmer as the eventual 4-0 sweep wore on. It began with his refusal to call a timeout as the Knicks went on a 30-8 run in the fourth quarter of Game 1 to force overtime and eventually beat the Cavs in backbreaking fashion.
From there, the Cavs struggled to find answers for a Knicks team on a historic run of postseason dominance. His comments after Game 3 about how the team outperformed New York analytically in two of the games only added to the frustration in Cleveland.
Organizational Stability
However, despite getting swept, Atkinson will remain on the job, and the Cavs reportedly aren't planning any major organizational changes.
What happens with the roster remains to be seen, but all indications point to James Harden being back alongside Donovan Mitchell in the backcourt with a new contract that drops the Cavs under the second apron.
Roster Uncertainty
From there, all bets are off when it comes to the futures of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.
The latter would be their best trade chip in spite of uneven playoff performances in his young career, and if Cleveland is going to make a serious roster shake-up, Mobley offers the best chance to make a splash.