NBA Rumors: James Borrego to Meet with Cavs About HC Job amid Lakers Buzz

New Orleans Pelicans assistant coach James Borrego will meet with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday as part of their coaching search, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

Borrego was linked with the vacancy almost immediately after the Cavs dismissed J.B. Bickerstaff.

Cleveland could face a challenge from the Los Angeles Lakers.

UConn men's basketball coach Dan Hurley announced Monday he's staying with the Huskies. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Hurley declined a six-year, $70 million offer from the Lakers.

Now that Los Angeles is forced to pivot in another direction, Wojnarowski added that Borrego "is expected to remain part of group." He has interviewed with the Lakers already, and Stein also reported on June 6 he could even be a candidate to work under JJ Redick if the ESPN analyst is hired as L.A.'s head coach.

Borrego had a .458 winning percentage in his four years with the Charlotte Hornets. His work there looks even more impressive in retrospect considering the Hornets went 43-39 in 2021-22, his final season, and won 48 combined games in the two years since.

Of particular note to the Cavaliers, Charlotte finished 11th, 28th, 23rd and eighth in offensive rating, per NBA.com. First with Kemba Walker and then LaMelo Ball, Borrego was able to build solid offenses around dynamic guards, and that's something he'd have in Cleveland with Donovan Mitchell or Darius Garland leading the backcourt.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported Monday the Cavs are also expected to bring Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson in for a visit. It appears the front office is narrowing its search, and either Borrego or Atkinson will wind up with the job.