The Cleveland Cavaliers finished the regular season with the best record in the Eastern Conference.
It was the first year of a new regime led by head coach Kenny Atkinson and his staff.
As such, it’s not a surprise to see some Cleveland coaches being linked to open opportunities somewhere else.
According to Bovada sportsbook, Cavs assistant coach Johnnie Bryant is the betting favorite to replace Tom Thibodeau as head coach of the New York Knicks (+240).
Notably, it’s worth noting that Atkinson is second with +400 odds.
Who’s going to be the next coach of the Knicks?
Johnnie Bryant +240
Kenny Atkinson +400
Mike Budenholzer +600
James Borrego +700
Sam Cassell +850
Frank Vogel +1100
Mark Jackson +1200
Mike D’Antoni +2000
Jeff Van Gundy +2200
Becky Hammon +2500 pic.twitter.com/0FKPLL5psJ— Bovada (@BovadaOfficial) June 3, 2025
It’s hard to believe the Cavaliers will consider parting with Atkinson, and the Knicks would have to be very aggressive for the Cavs to actually do that.
There have been rumors about former Denver Nuggets head coach Mike Malone being a strong candidate for the New York job, but Bovada doesn’t have him listed at the moment.
Bryant makes sense, as he’s an up-and-coming 39-year-old assistant coach who’s been in the NBA for more than a decade.
He started with the Utah Jazz before serving as the Knicks’ associate head coach from 2020 to 2024, so he would be a smooth transition after working under Thibodeau.
The Knicks made a risky gamble when they fired their head coach, and now, the Cavs might pay the price for that move.
NEXT: Analyst Urges Cavs To Make A Move If It 'Makes Sense'
