Cavs, Pistons' Top HC Targets after JJ Redick, Lakers Contract Rumors

ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 13: Head Coach James Borrego of the Charlotte Hornets reacts during the second half against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on April 13, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

Another NBA head coaching candidate is off the board after JJ Redick reportedly agreed to a four-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

With the Lakers having filled their vacant coaching spot, just two teams remain without a head coach: the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Detroit Pistons.

The Cavs have been on the trail for a new head coach since May after they fired JB Bickerstaff following their second-round exit to the Boston Celtics. The Pistons head coaching search is new, as Detroit's ownership decided to part ways with Monty Williams on Wednesday.

With Redick now spoken for, here are a few of the top candidates to land with the Cavaliers and Pistons.

Cleveland Cavaliers

SACRAMENTO, CA - APRIL 16: Assistant Coach Kenny Atkinson of the Golden State Warriors coaches during the game against the Sacramento Kings during the 2024 Play-In Tournament on April 16, 2024 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

Cleveland had some growth under Bickerstaff, who led the Cavs to the playoffs in two of his four seasons as head coach, but ultimately the front office believed he wasn't the right fit to get them to the next level.

Nearly a month into their coaching search, the Cavaliers have targetted two candidates to fill the open spot: James Borrego and Kenny Atkinson. NBA insider Marc Stein noted on Thursday that Borrego and Atkinson are both "known finalists" for the job.

James Borrego

Borrego has been in the coaching world since the end of his collegiate basketball career in 2001. After spending two seasons as an assistant for his alma mater, San Diego, he joined Gregg Popovich's staff with the San Antonio Spurs in 2003.

He spent seven years with the Spurs and was a part of two championship teams in 2005 and 2007 before joining the New Orleans Hornets staff, once again as an assistant. He then was an assistant for the Orlando Magic from 2012 to 2015—serving as interim head coach in his final year there.

After his time with the Magic, Borrego returned to San Antonio as an assistant before landing his first head coaching job with the Charlotte Hornets in 2018.

In four seasons with the Hornets, Borrego failed to reach the postseason but led the team to a pair of play-in tournament appearances—which could be considered a relative success given that Charlotte has made the playoffs just twice in the last decade.

The Hornets fired Borrego after the 2022 season and he returned to New Orleans, where he has been an assistant the past two seasons.

While Borrego doesn't have much experience as a head coach, he's spent plenty of time working for veteran coaches and could use his experience in Cleveland.

The Lakers also met with Borrego last month and he was reportedly considered to be "a leading candidate" for the job after UConn's Dan Hurley rejected the offer. One of the best franchises in the league considering hiring Borrego is a good indication he's ready to be a head coach again.

Kenny Atkinson

Atkinson has been a top candidate for the Cavs since the beginning of their search and he remains high on the list. Cleveland.com's Terry Pluto reported Thursday that Cleveland "liked him a lot back then" and still does.

"I'm hearing the Cavs could end up where they started the search – with Kenny Atkinson," Pluto wrote. "The former Brooklyn head coach was high on Cleveland's list in the beginning. In his interviews, Atkinson did nothing to change that opinion. The Cavs liked him a lot back then, and they still do."

Like Borrego, Atkinson has been an assistant for much of his NBA coaching career, which began in 2008 with the New York Knicks, but he had a four-year stint with the Brooklyn Nets from 2016 to 2020.

Though he found little success in Brooklyn, he did lead a somewhat limited roster to the playoffs during the 2018-19 team.

It is also worth noting that a pair of players Atkinson coached with the Nets—Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert—are now with the Cavs, giving him at least one connection to the team.

Atkinson has spent the last four seasons with the Golden State Warriors as an assistant under Steve Kerr, so he's learned from one of the best coaches in the league. Now, he could help Cleveland return to glory.

Detroit Pistons

BOSTON, MA - JUNE 9: Assistant Coach Sean Sweeney of the Dallas Mavericks looks on during the game against the Boston Celtics during Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Finals on June 9, 2024 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Pistons are coming off their worst season in franchise history and are now on the hook for $65 million after firing Williams following just one season.

Detroit made Williams the highest-paid coach last offseason after giving him a six-year, $78 million deal—a contract ownership likely now regrets.

But the Pistons can only look forward and try to get back on track after a historically bad year.

Given that the coaching search is brand new, there aren't many clear favorites to get the job, but there are a handful of candidates Detroit will likely pursue.

Sean Sweeney

A former coach for the Pistons assistant under Dwane Casey, Sweeney could be on the shortlist of names Detroit tries to pursue.

After working his way up through the collegiate ranks, Sweeney began his NBA career as a video coordinator for the Brooklyn Nets before Jason Kidd promoted him to an assistant in 2013. He has been an assistant for the Milwaukee Bucks and spent the 2023-24 season with the Dallas Mavericks as an assistant and head of the defense.

James Borrego

While Borrego is seemingly the favorite for the Cavs job, he could also be getting calls from the Pistons this week.

Borrego has a connection to Detroit in the form of Trahan Langdon—Pistons' President of Basketball operations. Before Langdon joined the Pistons last offseason, he was the general manager of the New Orleans Pelicans, where Borrego was at the time.

That connection could bode well for Detroit—if the Cavs don't hire Borrego first.

Micah Nori

The NBA world became familiar with Nori this postseason when he had to fill in for Chris Finch on the sideline when the Minnesota Timberwolves injured his knee in the first round.

During Nori's unexpected fill-in, Timberwolves' President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly had high praise for him.

"Micah is going to make a great head coach when some smart team hires him," Connelly said. "The whole staff is really connected. I think Finch empowers those guys. So it's a collective, it's not just about one person. We have next man up with players and it's the same with coaches."

Aside from the standup job Nori has done in Minnesota, he has plenty of coaching experience and a connection to the Pistions, serving as an assistant from 2018 to 2021.

Connelly said during the playoffs that Nori would "make a great head coach," and Detroit could give him his first opportunity to do so.