Donovan Mitchell Didn’t Hold Back Defending Cavaliers Coach After Playoff Exit
After the Cleveland Cavaliers were swept in the Eastern Conference Finals by the New York Knicks, the organization decided to retain head coach Kenny Atkinson.
The Cavaliers remain highly confident about moving forward with Atkinson at the helm, as he will return for his third season. Through his first two campaigns, he holds a 116-48 record while guiding the franchise to its first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2018, when LeBron James led the charge.
Following the Game 4 loss to the Knicks, both James Harden and Donovan Mitchell voiced their support for Atkinson.
“It’s just hilarious,” Mitchell said Monday night via ESPN. “We’ve done something that we haven’t done since 2018. There’s going to be criticism everywhere on Kenny, but why?… We did it, but we did it with Kenny. We didn’t just go out there and coach ourselves.
“I love Kenny. We love Kenny. We ride with Kenny and ultimately that’s all that matters.”
The Cavaliers are coming off their most successful season in over a decade, which saw them finish on the doorstep of reaching the NBA Finals. The stability that Atkinson brings is likely giving him another shot to prove that he can help the franchise finally break through in the Eastern Conference.
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The focus will now shift to the roster as Harden’s future with the franchise will be at the forefront, as he holds a $42.3 million player option for the 2026-27 campaign. He will likely exercise that option due to his comfort in Cleveland and, more importantly, the significant salary.
