NBA Rumors: Cavs Get Permission to Interview Wolves' Micah Nori Amid Lakers HC Talks
Tyler Conway@@jtylerconway
Featured Columnist IV
The Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly received permission to interview Minnesota Timberwolves assistant coach Micah Nori for their head-coaching vacancy.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Nori is set to interview to replace JB Bickerstaff, who was fired after the Cavaliers' second-round exit in the playoffs. Nori previously spoke with the Los Angeles Lakers regarding their vacancy, but he's not been mentioned as a prime candidate.
The Cavaliers also received permission to interview NBA assistant coaches Kenny Atkinson, James Borrego, Johnnie Bryant and Chris Quinn, per Wojnarowski.
Nuggets assistant David Adelman also joined the list Tuesday, per Wojnarowski. The 43-year-old spent the past seven years in Denver, helping the team bring home an NBA title in 2023.
Atkinson, who currently serves as an assistant under Steve Kerr in Golden State, previously spent four years coaching the Brooklyn Nets. Borrego had a four-year stint with the Charlotte Hornets from 2018 to 2022 before being fired; he joined the New Orleans Pelicans' bench before this season.
Nori, Bryant and Quinn do not have any head-coaching experience.
Nori started his basketball coaching career in 2009 with the Toronto Raptors and has since worked with the Sacramento Kings, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons and Timberwolves. He served as the interim head coach in Minnesota briefly this season when head coach Chris Finch suffered a patellar tendon injury during the Wolves' first-round series against the Phoenix Suns.
Bryant has been an associate head coach under Tom Thibodeau since 2020 after previously working with the Utah Jazz. The 38-year-old began his career in player development and is known for honing skills with players behind the scenes.
Quinn, a former NBA guard, has been part of Erik Spoelstra's staff in Miami for the last decade. He's received several head-coaching interviews in recent years but is yet to land his first opportunity.
The Cavs are heading into an offseason full of major decisions as they look to retool their roster around star Donovan Mitchell. It's likely Cleveland's front office will look to Mitchell for guidance during the search.
