Cavaliers' Two Top Assistants Emerge as Finalists for NBA Head Coach Opening

Two key Cavaliers assistants are on the brink of landing a head coaching job, potentially shaking up Cleveland’s championship trajectory.

Oct 26, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) speaks to Cleveland Cavaliers associate head coach Johnnie Bryant during a time out in the third quarter against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images | Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Suns’ head coaching search has narrowed down to two finalists, both of whom are from the Cleveland Cavaliers. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, associate head coach Johnnie Bryant and assistant Jordan Ott have emerged as the finalists for the position.

The Phoenix Suns have narrowed their head coaching search to two finalists from the Cleveland Cavaliers, associate coach Johnnie Bryant and assistant Jordan Ott, sources tell ESPN. Both will meet with Suns owner Mat Ishbia in Michigan ahead of a hiring as soon as later this week. pic.twitter.com/6JSG8EiuaU

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 2, 2025

Both Bryant and Ott played a vital role with the Cavaliers this season, and either being a finalist for the Suns is a testament to the incredible foundation Cleveland built this past season under NBA Coach of the Year Kenny Atkinson.

For the Cavaliers, the news is bittersweet. On one hand, it validates the elite caliber of the Cavs’ coaching staff, especially with how Cleveland thrived in their first year under Atkinson. However, on the other, it threatens to disrupt a delicate ecosystem

Bryant’s relationship with Donovan Mitchell is more than a player-coach bond. It’s a personal partnership forged over a decade. He’s the voice Mitchell trusts most, the mentor who can challenge him without alienating him, and the sounding board during the highest-pressure moments. With Mitchell entering a pivotal two-year stretch on his contract, with Cleveland's championship aspirations heightened, any loss to his support system could ripple far beyond the sidelines.

Ott’s potential exit is equally significant. The former Michigan State video coordinator has become one of the NBA’s premier talent developers. Under Ott's guidance, Evan Mobley blossomed into a Defensive Player of the Year and an All-NBA selection, which might help a Suns team that was abysmal defensively last season.

It’s no small thing when your assistants are considered too good to keep. It means you're doing something right. But for Atkinson and the Cavaliers, the challenge now becomes: how do you keep doing it without them?