Rumors

“Jonathan likes the Cavs, likes (coach) Kenny Atkinson, and (star) Donovan Mitchell likes him,” Turner, Kuminga’s agent, said in a brief interview. Turner said Kuminga is fond of Cleveland generally and spent two months training there last summer. Kuminga has a relationship with Atkinson from when the coach was an assistant under Steve Kerr at Golden State. While both sides confirmed interest, it is unclear which avenue the Cavs might take to acquire Kuminga if they decide on that path.

New York Times

Jonathan Kuminga has been in a holding pattern because of James’ decision. No tangible progress toward a deal between the Lakers and Kuminga has been made over the last couple of weeks, a source told The Post. The Cavaliers also have significant interest in Kuminga, sources said. Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson coached Kuminga while Atkinson was an assistant coach with the Warriors from 2021-24. If James doesn’t go back to Cleveland for a third stint, it increases the likelihood of Kuminga joining the Cavaliers, who would likely make other moves to bring in Kuminga in addition to a sign-and-trade. 

New York Post

Sam Amick: "The most telling behavior thing publicly is Kenny Atkinson just openly talking on SiriusXM Radio about them being in the running for maybe the best player of all time. And his energy, he is going to take some flak from Cavs fans if they don't get him. He was maybe a little over his skis there and I am not sure if that is a sign of optimism from him or something else, but yeah, I am not sure which way it is going to go."

YouTube

Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns, in attendance for the 2026 ESPY Awards at Lincoln Center on Wednesday night, took a swipe at one of the team’s playoff foes as New York looked to take home the Best Team award. “You can pick up all the analytics and statistics you want,” Towns said during a pre-show interview Wednesday with ESPN’s Kevin Negandhi and Christine Williamson. “Analytically, we should win this one. We should win this one analytically.”

New York Post

SiriusXM NBA Radio: “We’re in the mix for the greatest player of all time” Cavs Head Coach Kenny Atkinson discusses with @WorldWideWob, @DarthAmin, and Ryan McDonough what it would be like to have LeBron return to Cleveland.

x.com

The Cleveland Cavaliers also continue to have interest in Kuminga, league sources told ESPN. Kuminga has a high level of comfort with Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson, who coached Kuminga during his first three NBA seasons as a lead assistant for the Golden State Warriors. The Cavaliers, however, are currently wrapped in the LeBron James sweepstakes, leaving the Lakers as the most aggressive pursuer prior to the James domino falling.

ESPN

The Eastern Conference hierarchy could easily shift again, should LeBron James choose a third tour with Cleveland -- which would wipe away some of the stink from the Cavaliers' largely noncompetitive conference finals -- or pick another East team such as Philadelphia. "LeBron can influence the balance of power in the conference," the executive said. "He's not a driver, not on a night-to-night basis. [But] having him around, he picks and chooses his spots. "I wonder how he would fit with Kenny Atkinson?" (The executive wasn't the first to wonder how James would react to Atkinson, who bizarrely claimed, "Analytically, we've won two of the three [games]" as his Cavaliers trailed 3-0 to the Knicks.)

ESPN

What are you most proud of this season? Kenny Atkinson: I think we were 17-16 at one point. It looked like the wheels were falling off. Just how we kept it together, with expectations being so high, and we started playing a lot of young guys. We got through that with great leadership, starting with Donovan Mitchell, then Evan Mobley, even before De'Andre Hunter came. Those guys kind of kept the ship afloat. As we got healthier, we really went on some good runs. Listen, success is relative, right? It's all about perspective. We did take a jump. We'd gone to the conference semifinals three years in a row, and this year we made it to the conference finals. I know it wasn't the greatest result, but we kind of ran into a buzzsaw. We could have played better, but we did make a jump. We did improve. There are steps to this thing. It just doesn't happen overnight. When you're one of the final four teams in the NBA, I think you're doing something right. We obviously have the hunger and ambition to do more, so I think it was a successful season on many fronts.

HoopsHype

Was the equation harder to figure out, or did it become easier once James Harden came into the fold? Kenny Atkinson: It's a great point, and I was worried about that. How do we get this thing going in two and a half months? The thing that changed that equation was James Harden's IQ and ability. And I always know James is a system, just being by himself. But it was more like he's played in so many different scenarios in the NBA and his career that he adapted. It's probably the fastest adaptation I've ever seen with a player. We play a little differently, a little differently offensively, a little differently than what he's used to. He took off, took him a week before he was like, knew all the plays, knew our concepts. And it's like, so maybe if it's a different player, the adjustment would be a little harder. So he made our job as coaches so much easier. I always joke with us; maybe you could thrive in Princeton's offense. Or a double low post system. I don't think there's a system that could slow James Harden down. He's that talented, but also that cerebral. So, that made the transition a lot easier.

HoopsHype

Rose’s first big move was one of the organization’s great triumphs. Tom Thibodeau, a no-frills head coach, was hired after a search that included Jason Kidd and Kenny Atkinson, among others. There was some haggling over who Thibodeau had to accept on his staff — and the deal nearly fell apart at the last minute — but ultimately they agreed on a five-year contract.

New York Post

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson addressed the future of Virtus Bologna young forward Saliou Niang during his visit to Italy following the end of Cleveland's NBA season. Atkinson said he believes Niang, who was selected by the Cavaliers in last year's NBA Draft, can become part of the franchise's future. He also praised the forward's development over the past season. "A strong, determined young man who works with great energy and is constantly growing, including in terms of leadership on the court. We selected him in last year's draft, and I believe he will be part of our franchise's future," Atkinson said via Tuttosport.

BasketNews

Iacopo De Santis: 🇮🇹👀 Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson was in Italy for Saliou Niang, who was selected with the #58 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Niang recorded 11 points, 7 rebounds (3 offensive rebounds), 3 assists in 24 minutes.

x.com

There were rumbles during the regular season that Cleveland would have interest in pursuing Quin Snyder — Donovan Mitchell's former coach in Utah — in the event of a coaching change there, but sources with knowledge of the Cavaliers' thinking have pushed back on such suggestions, insisting that Kenny Atkinson was always destined to retain his job for a third season.

marcstein.substack.com

Michael Scotto: Kenny Atkinson will return as Cleveland Cavaliers head coach. Donovan Mitchell strongly endorsed Atkinson when asked about him. “I love Kenny. We love Kenny. We ride with Kenny. Ultimately, that’s all that matters. I know for a fact he’s from Long Island. He don’t give a damn.”

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