4:10pm: Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com confirms the Cavaliers have been granted permission to interview Bryant and Quinn. Sources tell Fedor that Cleveland could interview about 10 candidates for the head coaching vacancy, describing it as an “extensive process that may take weeks before completion.” One rival executive views Atkinson as the frontrunner for the position, Fedor adds.
3:40pm: After securing permission to meet with Kenny Atkinson and James Borrego about their head coaching opening, the Cavaliers have been given the green light to speak to two more NBA assistants, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports (via Twitter) that Cleveland will interview Knicks assistant Johnnie Bryant and Heat assistant Chris Quinn.
Multiple reports had stated that the Cavs were interested in Bryant, so it comes as no surprise that Cleveland asked for and received permission to meet with him. Bryant was an assistant coach with the Jazz from 2014-20 before joining the Knicks’ staff, overlapping with Cavs star Donovan Mitchell in Utah from 2017-20. Bryant also interviewed for the Jazz’s job back in 2022 before the team hired Will Hardy.
Quinn has been connected to a handful of head coaching vacancies this offseason, but wasn’t hired by Brooklyn, Charlotte, or Washington and doesn’t appear to be a frontrunner in the Lakers’ search. The veteran assistant and former NBA player has long been one of Erik Spoelstra‘s top lieutenants, having been with the Heat since 2014.
A recent report indicated that the Heat are working on a new deal for Quinn, with Spoelstra looking to keep his coaching staff intact, so if he doesn’t end up being the Cavs’ or Lakers’ top choice, he’ll almost certainly continue on in his role as Miami’s lead assistant.
In addition to the four candidates they’ve been granted permission to speak to so far, the Cavaliers have also been linked to Dave Joerger, Micah Nori, and Terry Stotts as they seek a replacement for J.B. Bickerstaff. With the team apparently in the process of scheduling and beginning its first round of interviews, we should know soon whether those coaches – or others – will formally meet with the team.