Cavs Reportedly Make Decision on Kenny Atkinson's Future After Knicks Sweep Ends NBA Playoff Run

The Cleveland Cavaliers are planning to retain coach Kenny Atkinson after his team was swept by the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals, The Athletic's Joe Vardon and ESPN's Shams Charania reported Tuesday.

According to Vardon, "no major changes to the front office or coaching staffs are now expected" in Cleveland.

Atkinson led the Cavaliers to the franchise's first conference finals appearance since 2018 in his second season as head coach, which ended Monday night with a 130-93 Game 4 loss to the visiting Knicks.

That marked the fourth straight blowout of the series, during which the Cavaliers were outscored by a total of 77 points.

ESPN's Jamal Collier reported Tuesday that "support still remains high for Atkinson from key officials within the organization" after the sweep.

Atkinson also received support Monday from Cavaliers players including Donovan Mitchell, who called the idea that Atkinson would be on the hot seat after his team's Game 4 loss "hilarious."

"We've done something that we haven't done since 2018... we did it, but we did it with Kenny. We didn't just go out there and coach ourselves," Mitchell said.

"I love Kenny, we love Kenny, we ride with Kenny, and ultimately that's all that matters, right?"

Atkinson led the Cavaliers to 64 wins during his first season as head coach, marking the franchise's highest regular-season win total since 2009, before his team's playoff run ended with a second-round loss to the Indiana Pacers.

He took the Cavs back to the playoffs and through two rounds this spring before his team collapsed against the Knicks.

Atkinson has previous head coaching experience through four seasons with the Brooklyn Nets. He has led the Cavaliers to a 164-116 regular-season record (.707 win percentage) and 13-14 playoff mark in two seasons with the franchise.

The head coach might not be the only part of this core the Cavaliers are hoping to bring back next season. Both Mitchell, who is extension-eligible, and James Harden, who holds a player option for next season, expressed interest in returning to Cleveland.

The Knicks largely kept together last season's core, but made a head coaching change from Tom Thibodeau from Mike Brown, between losing the 2025 conference finals and advancing to the 2026 NBA Finals.

The Cavaliers could now hope to find similar success, not with a head coaching change but by adding players to join Mitchell and Harden. Collier reported Tuesday the Cavs are "expected to be opportunistic this summer with potential roster moves."