Kenny Atkinson Intro Press Conference

Kenny Atkinson Intro Press Conference

e e e e e e e e e e e e how you feeling guys how you feel good afternoon everybody Welcome backend thank you thank you everyone for coming uh once again to courts uh for a very special introduce kson Cali family or least thank his family for being here Laura anakah and Anthony we welcome you uh we’re excited to grow with you um and you’re going to love it you’re absolutely love Cleveland it’s going to be home for you guys and some special years for you guys as well so really excited to welcome you guys to town um with Kenny uh we um we went do a very extensive and thorough process to land Kenny um we spoke to several really really good candidates um some will be future head coaches some already were um and and and some tremendous candidates but all roads LED back to Kenny um he is modern Innovative um he’s the right fit for this group experience but when you think about the coaches that he’s worked under um obviously the head coaching experience the international experience um and his Innovative approach to the game uh just really spoke to us and uh we’re excited we could be more excited to to welcome you here um he’s the right fit and the right match for this roster in this group um and some really exciting basketball um is is upon us here and so just wanted to to thank Kenny um and and welcome him to Cleveland officially um and uh congratulations coach we couldn’t be more excited thanks Kobe um thank you everybody for coming on this uh beautiful day in Cleveland um yes i’ I’d like to start off by thanking Kobe and and his group uh Brandon and and Mike and it was a uh um a fair process um in in interesting process an exhilarating process um and as I got to know them um as as the process process went on I felt more and more comfortable and you know to get to this day is is uh it’s an amazing opportunity I think we all know the the the talent that uh that is it is on this team the culture they’ve built uh which is which is what really intrigued me about about this job to begin um I’d also like to you know thank Dan Gilbert obviously you know they’ve had incredible coaches here incredible tradition incredible players so um you know for for him and his family to give me this opportunity to be a part of a a um you know kind of kind of legendary uh uh program is is is just just thrilling um last people I’d like to thank are the other Golden State Warriors um Steve Kerr the lake up family Mike dun leevy um you know your your path in this league takes takes a lot of different uh uh you know a lot of different ways and and uh my experience with the war you know made me a better Coach obviously winning a championship um U so i’ I’d like to thank them because they were they’ve been great throughout this whole process okay we are now open for questions please raise your hand we’ll get a microphone to you uh give us your name and your outlet so coach can have a chance to put a face with the name onic hi Kenny Tom Withers Associated Press hi Tom so what did you and Donovan Mitchell talk about this week we had a had a great great sit down um you know we also have you know a little bit you know the East Coast uh similar backgrounds we didn’t grow up far from each other really if you think about it so right off the bat um felt a great connection um talked about uh more more personal stuff family uh his family with my family um so it was really like a a great get to get to know your session I’m a South sh of Long Island guy oh wait there you go what town West Iceland all right that’s not far at all yeah um typically when a coach takes over it’s a it’s a rebuild it’s coming off of a losing season you’re inheriting a solid roster here how different is that for you as a coach to kind of take on this kind of a project now it’s the next challenge you know that’s you know when you talk about your Evolution as a coach I’ve you know we OB I had the Brooklyn situation and and uh um the good thing like Kobe said I I do have experience as as an assistant and and you I think of our Atlanta Hawks team um you know that that that was kind of get to the next next next level uh so I’ve seen that I’ve seen that model but this is different this is uh like like I stated in the beginning this is this is a fantastic roster and the the culture they built here um is is in place and uh like I told Kobe when I interviewed I said I’m just just coming coming here to give it a little little more of a push there’s a there’s so many things uh great things in place um so um excited about it Chris Chris speedor cleveland.com hey Kenny welcome to Cleveland um what is your ultimate vision for a Kenny ainson team um I think first thing in and you know when you first get to a team it’s get to know your players like like established the relationships and I know Kobe and I are before we talk about tactics and and how what style of play but it it’s really that and and fact I really believe that’s you know it’s a big part of Player Development is first establishing the relationships I’m going full in on that you know going to see Donovan and and and you know going out there and seeing some of the guys that that was our our first task so that’s that’s the first part of it and then um as I get to know them better as players I’m going to you know me and my staff are going to figure out what what fits best and and uh you know there’s a lot of good things in place there’s a you know some some really great uh great basketball uh there’s a great basketball identity in place a great defensive identity um so we’re going to have to figure out where we win in on the margins you know what are the margin where can we get better I always think it starts with you know I I’ll kind of quote uh Donovan’s old old college coach Rick patino it starts with IND if every guy gets a little bit better every individual gets a little bit bit better that that’s how you can make the next step and then I think uh we’ll have a we’ll have a strong staff that’ll make the the Tactical adjustments that we need to make to to to move this thing forward and speaking of that in today’s day and age where Pace space some small ball how do you make two bigs that are traditionally non-shooters work nowadays Yeah it’s you’re right the league is changing right the league is changing fast it’s a faster League there’s no doubt about it um I will say our kind of unique uh situation here we got two bigs that are fast you know they’re just not big guys they’re they’re you know knowing Jared really well I mean that was the thing to track he can he can really get a Evan is is uh a 400 meter Sprinter like he’s he’s got incredible speed for his size um I will say my my U my experience in Golden State I think is going to really helped we played you know Draymond and and and Looney together a lot we won a lot of series like that so knowing how to how to how to um um use those two is going to be important because we want to keep that defensive identity we want to keep that base that’s so important now it’s it’s it’s and part of my job is when we figure out how can we how can we get those guys you know that group with the two bigs to to be more efficient offensively darl rer 923 the f welcome to Cleveland thank you um off of Chris’s question I’ll ask you about the two guards Donovan and Darius um you know there’s a lot of external conversation about those two players elevating their games more so Darius than Donan so how do you get with the two bigs and th basically the core four on the floor together how do you have them all singing and dancing at the same time well that’s what they’re going to pay me for here you have four four allar you know Evan will be an Allstar I think we we all know that so you got four Allstars we got to make it work and and that that’s part of the part of the reason I’m here you know I I uh um I’ve already spoken to Darius multiple times and I I’m just a you know huge fan I mean I can’t tell you how many times he he he he uh destroyed us when we were in Brooklyn you know he’s obviously a great shooter excent you know underrated passer um so it seems like something that that when you have multiple ball handlers and again I’ll hark back to my Golden State experience you know Steph and Jordan P like you you have a lot of pieces but the talent’s there so it’s just it’s just we’re going to work on on tweaking this where we we maximize those guys but I I’ll um you know I I just love love both of them together quite honestly and um you know you come in as you were asked about to bring this to the next level yeah what is it about uh how you develop relationships with your players that has made you so successful over the years um I see I think I’m a player Advocate I know that sounds um well shouldn’t every coach be a player Advocate but I I just I love that more than anything the interaction um with the individual player I love to you know obviously you got to form a team in chemistry but the getting that Bond within an individual player and then and then seeing them grow I mean I I think that’s why at the end of the day that’s why we’re in this sure love yes championships love it you know team success great but seeing seeing and I think players feel that like I want you I want you to get that next contract I want you to get paid that’s really you know a big part of it so I think when they feel that passion and and you know part of that is getting out there with are you are you are you in the mix with them are you rebounding for them are you you know contested shots like I want to you know I’m not going to shy away from my my U kind of oncore you know development background I’m I’m going to be in the mix um I’m going to take individual sessions with these guys I’m going to keep um you know keep keep keep that Bond and and and keep growing that Bond and and and then challenge him right like that’s the last part of it I do think you know we’re you know I I I know that line where you have to we have to challenge and and and and push a guy to get get to the next level Jason ly the athletic just with Evan specifically what have you seen from him offensively that you like and what else is there to get how do you get more you know it it’s U he’s so multi-talented right and so we um and that was a big part of our discussion right and and and during the process you know how how to how to get um get him to the next level and I think first of he’s 22 years old so he’s just naturally going to grow so that’s exciting just with with the talent but I do think we can um schematically um get the ball in his hands more quite honestly and and uh um and it’s going to be in multiple ways I think when you have a guy that versatile um it could be him in transition bringing the ball up it could be him handling in in a five out situation more him handling and pick and roll I think I think there’s there’s creative things we can do to uh to to help him uh and U I know I I’ve spoke with him he’s excited about it um but there’s definitely just just as general usage I think I think can go up and and we have to figure out you know the best positions to put him in but um it’s it’s like I’m I can’t wait to like get on that task because I I know that’s a big big part of us you know you know taking that next step we’re talking about Donovan is an incredible player he’s a top 15 player in the game does Evan have to be the best player on this team to be a championship contender can you do it with Donovan could do it with Donovan he’s you know MVP you get one MVP and I think that’s the league right it used to be you used to have have to have three I’m not sure what it is I don’t think it’s working yeah I you know you look at other team like it it’s that’s not necessarily the model but like you said you got a top 15 but my thing is I don’t know where Donovan ranks in that or you getting him into the like my job is like let’s get you into the top 15 and and uh you know what’s great about this situation is like the roster that’s in place there’s enough there’s enough to to take that next step and no doubt about it um but but Evan’s a big piece of that I’m going to feel um a huge responsibility to to to help him get get to that you know top 15 top 20 whatever it is and who knows you know top five why not like with the skill level and and and the athleticism and the human being I don’t I don’t see why we can’t Eden Sans Kenny just understanding that you have had experience with some of the guys on this roster Caris LeVert and Jared Allen and you spoke of like creating a culture and helping grow this culture that’s already built how does having relationships with some of the guys already on this team help you just get into the vibe of this team early on I think it’s huge it’s like that first day of school when you come in and you know somebody maybe that went to your Elementary right like you’re like oh I can actually sit at the table with these guys and and but you know it’s more than Jared and Carris I like you know haven’t been in this we League a while and you know you develop relationships with guys from other teams Believe It or Not So Max Tru I have a relationship with him it might not like Harrison Jared um George I know you know Darius you know I talked to him during the game sometimes so like you know there is from afar that kind of mutual respect like hey I respect your game you know I like how you coach type deal so um I not only Carris and and Jared I I kind of feel like I know a lot of these guys even Donovan like you know competing against him in the playoffs before you you just you know you you know they know they know who’s who’s on on the bench on the other side so that that that’s that’s another reason to have a a comfort level and I’m feeling that right off the bat like just just getting on the phone with these guys I’m like yes this is this is going to work so you’ve also spoken about the importance of the assistant coaches that you have um for this team what is your mindset when bringing other guys in to help you along the way yeah I I just want to um surround my um surround my myself with you know obviously coaches with positive energy that’s the first thing I think uh surround myself of player Advocates you know and and um I think uh you know it takes a group to do this you know it does as a coaching staff sure I’m I’m kind of leading it but I I think one of my strengths is is is being super collaborative I I I I I lean on ideas I I love information I love when coaches bring me in information this is definitely not going to be a top- down situation so that’s so more importantly it’s it’s more important to bring in a a a strong staff and we’re going to do that we’re already off you know already down the road with with with with the group and we already and we got some great coaches here so that that’s that’s you know that’s a challenge for us to you know streamline us so we get the best best coaches around a a a top level group Joe gabriel.com Hey Joe how you doing coach before you even took the Reigns last week you kind of your first official uh job as coach you were in the draft room I understand and you kind of help with the the picking of Jaylen what are your thoughts on him as your first uh rookie coming in well when we picked him within five minutes I got 25 texts from from um am I allowed to say this from yeah I never know like the rules like you know is he s you know and and just what an incredible pick like like you know right and that’s like because I I’ve been involved you know I have you know I’ve been with Team France and all that so I wasn’t I wasn’t watching the draft and and listen with Kobe and and my their their history of Brandon their history of drafting guys I felt pretty it was the best draft I ever had I could just kind of like come in there yeah like like man we you know so I felt good about then then when I got the text from people I really respect in the league that that uh you know this guy’s really good and then the last part of that you know I called Mark Matson who I know from from along and it was like we got 20 minutes on the phone I I you know of course college coaches support their guy but it was like over the top like you know he he he he’s he’s really um you know excited now he told me he was going to be in the rotation this year you know that’s how and I said Mark the NBA is pretty good and might who knows you know but I thought that was that that’s how much he liked them so that’s pretty cool and you said you kind of fell in love with the culture here what do you see as the culture here and how can you kind of build on it listen when you go from well for again it’s it’s being in the league right so you people talk in the league and and uh um and and I watch from afar right when I’m playing the Cavs and and when you go from was it 22 wins or 22 wins to you know conference semi-finals the the trajectory is quite honestly these guys have not gotten enough credit because I think it’s I know how hard it is to make that jump I mean that’s an that’s an incredible incredible jump an incredible five years obviously after the you know you know uh Lebron Championship all that and then and then to kind of reboot and and build not only a you know a team that’s that that that’s on the rise and made a huge jump but the culture’s got to be good and and then knowing the players that are in place the personality so you know you’re you’re doing it with High character players and I I don’t say that like I don’t just say that I I know it because you know when I when you go for these jobs you do your background they do their background on me I do their background I was like man um remember Kobe when I walked in in the first thing I said I want this job I’m going for it and I’m going to be aggressive because I I I knew all the the of great things that were in place uh Terry Pluto from the qulo de Kenny um how many times have they interview you or kind of can you talk a little bit about the process yeah I think you know there were phone interviews to kind of get to know your interviews uh Zoom um you know couple of zooms and then and then and then in iners along inperson uh situation so we we spent a we spent a lot of time together is that like over almost a month or period what’s the time frame on that we did we had about the month um process uh pretty much I mean that Sunday before the Monday where it um we we we made him the offer um that that’s that’s the day I called Dan and said you know Kenny is this is the candidate we want to move forward with and and Dan gave the blessing and was like go make your hire it was interesting cuz he you know he was he’s actually coaching right now um for Olympic national team with France and I spoke to his agent I said I’m going to try to call him now to offer him the job will I be able to get him he said practice probably you know rebounding for Victor wi minyama and um so I called him and I was worried he’s going to ring out I got like five rings I’m like trying to offer my job he grabs it and I can tell he’s kind of like fumbling around gets out the gym and I I said coach are you in practice said yeah I’m in practice I said uh I was worried I was going to get you and he said no I was going to take this one so um that was kind of the process but no he he grabbed it all the way from Paris with a great conversation we offered him the job um that uh that Monday um and then he got to town to your question on Wednesday the day of the draft um and he’s been with us ever since and I think he’s going to have to head back out because he wants to finish the job um with France um even though I’m still USA basketball but you know um but no it’s totally unbrand for me to call him and he’s in the middle a practice right that’s that’s Kenny uh Kobe uh just what are maybe a couple things that really stood out from him compared not to put down your other candidates but you had to pick one and there had to be a couple reasons behind it and also a couple things about him to take this team where JB had it now and make it better what is he bringing that’s going to make that happen um I mean we talked about the experience level um Terry we talked about um his head coaching experience what he learned there um how he got how he created a program um really from nothing from scratch I mean that that Brooklyn program um and give Shawn Mark lot credit for what he did with very limited assets to make the coaching higher he made um and develop the talent that they did to get to a playoffs was was pretty remarkable um I don’t think he gets enough credit for the job he did in Brooklyn um and then his stops along the way with really high level respected Hall of Fame level coaches um his his his yearn for to learn you know um he sought out these different opportunities to grow um he’s super curious um and he sort of fits how how we’re driving this thing how do we continue to get better um he’s Innovative um his approach is creative I think we’re going to see a lot of different lineups um a lot of different strategy how he use Evan uh this year is going to be pretty cool um I love the relationship piece that he has with guys I think you know when we started out we talked about the 22 wins um 5 years ago our whole Foundation was going to be built on Player Development and even though we you know we made a conference semis and we’ve won 99 games the last two years that’s all well and good but we don’t want to lose focus on that and at his core that’s that’s who he is you know he wants to be on the floor with guys he wants that sped Equity with guys and when you have an Evan Moy who’s 23 and a dar Garland who 24 they have not reached their potential yet at all right they’ve not peaked yet at all and so when you know you have a coach that’s fastball as Player Development and you and you do your research around the game and that’s all they say the best player development coach you can possibly find that gives me Solace to know that that program that we have is going to be the best in the world um and we’re going to continue to get guys to get guys better even the Donovan Mitchells of the world right the idea that we can’t improve him with Kenny um is as we’re going to be able to improve and guys continue to have the best years of their career in Cleveland and so when you have that Foundation um that that route uh that really spoke to us along with all experience that I I talked about um as well hey Nate Al be joural hey Kenny um speaking of uh Brooklyn which Kobe just touched on what were some of the main lessons that you took from that experience that you apply now you know having a previous head coaching job oh man I’ve changed I you know my experience after Brooklyn and like Kobe said I think it was strategic the way I approached it you know getting with tyo with the Clippers and and we end up going to the Conference Finals and and and but just definitely a different philosophy a different approach than what I was used to so I just I soaked it in it was a great like a just a great experience uh observation experience and have the utmost respect for him and and uh and then obviously you know going to Golden State and and Steve Kerr it was you know again a different different take a different way of doing it and and uh man that really opened up you know my eyes he he definitely had you know different approach than I did so using those um I think using those my my experience with those those two situations can make me a better Coach and I I I I sold that to Kobe I said that’s I you I look back and BR man there’s so many things I could do better and then I I saw it live I saw it you know I was in the you know kind of kind of in the in the bus like look how does Steve do it how does Tai do it and that’s really gonna um I think it’s I think it’s really gonna um help me and and then the last thing I I do think I I’m one of my strengths is I know I think the league is changing like we talked about and just getting a you know can you get ahead of the league can you what’s happening how quickly is happening how are we shifting um and and you know I think I think me and my staff that that’ll be a strength of ours we’ll be we’ll be able to um kind of kind of be right with the league or be a step ahead hi Kenny Danny Cunningham C Magazine with Evan you touched upon earlier how much more growth there can be how much do you think he can get better just by amping the pace a little bit offensively yeah it’s a big part of it a big part of it and you know I’m not going to give you the specific tactics and you know he he’s generally got to have have the ball in his hands more but also the transition piece is a big part of that um you know and um I have a lot of experience with with with watching um kind of kind of um forward strong you know power forwards and centers you know bringing the ball and transition so um I think it’s a strength that has how he runs the court um so that that uh that’s something something that I think that’s one of the shifts shifts you’ll see you’ll see him more more in transition with the ball and then without the ball he kind of knows knows the places he he’s running where where we can uh we we can get him the ball and then for you over the last several years there have been a number of opportunities where your name’s popped up what made this the right time for you to be had coach again oh man I just pinch how lucky I am right like not to disparage any other program or any other experience I was involved in but I I I kind of knew Vision wise like like watching with with Kobe and his group has done and how they’ve taken off here and again knowing knowing a lot of the players that are here I I I um um I’m just extremely lucky that that you know kind of the time and place of all this this happening I I know I know uh I know what a great opportunity is so so very lucky it was lucky hi K you see go Hoops wire um is your staff have you got your staff together and the other question is what is that process like in terms of you know hiring assistance how do you go about that yeah I think uh we are working on it together um you know Kobe and in the front office of me and and um I think again how I it’s a collaborative effort um we’re we’re going to try to bring the strongest staff around these guys I think um It’s Tricky right I think it is there’s there’s a lot of moving pieces so um you know there’s a lot of talented talented people a lot of talented staff out there so we’re in the process of of um you know get getting that together hey Kenny hey Jim Jimmy Watkins cleveland.com um we talked a lot about your Player Development background Kobe call it your fastball and it seems like sometimes coaches with that background get labeled as more more fit for young teams yeah why do you think that perception exists and and how do you think your Player Development background can accentuate the veterans on this team well we’re young so it does kind of fit we’re still that’s that’s incred right like you know kind of Warriors we that guys mid-30 you know we’re we’re we’re a we’re we’re a young team um but again um and you said it at the end there it’s not just a young right it’s it’s a veterans too it’s Donovan can gez top top 15 is it can we get you in top five but it’s everybody across the um kind of and player de development kind of gets us just kind of label a little bit it’s like oh wait that’s like coaching like this that’s you know what I’m saying it’s like it’s a little bit of a buzzword so that that’s that’s what the greatest coaches in this you know in this league have done through you know throughout history so um and and then um I do think um you know there is a uh I have a lot of playoff experience you know play playf experience as a head coach but also as an assistant right like being in being in intense moments and being in uh Conference Finals playing against LeBron you know like scheming against all these these great players so I think the tactics part again with the strong staff around me like I think I think we’re going to nail that I think uh I I kind of relish that I think that’s um that’s an area that I that I really enjoy I mean that’s that’s that’s a big reason to coming here to play in those games and to to make those decisions are going to get us get us to the next level and then you you mentioned your experience with golden state you even thanked them in your in your opening statement um how are you different as a coach after going through that experience on Steve staff yeah I mean it starts with Steve Kerr right like I just think he’s uh um nine championships right so you know he had the player you know the player he could talk about the uh um you know Chicago Bulls experiences you know his experience in Cleveland he said he used to chase around Mark Price like crazy like Mark used to just kill him in practice all the time you know he he’s got this incredible background and and obviously Phil Jackson all you know all the great coaches he’s got that ad and then obviously the um you know the the uh the Golden State experience going from you know the kind of the media to the that whole uh Evolution um and then just watching how he dealt with superstars right like Steph and Draymond and clay and uh what what that all looked like what did that look like on a daily what did it look like when you had to make the big decisions in the room in a playoff series in a finals against the Celtic whatever it could be so just um I just think here I am just getting all this wealth you know was a wealth of of of information it’s like getting an MBA you know it’s like getting your you know doctorate in basketball where maybe I was just you know an undergraduate you know that that’s kind of the Stark difference when you see like like Kobe you’re talking about Hall of Fame coaches Ty and Steve it’s just unbelievable experience Spencer Davies cider uh Kenny you’ve talked about the core four quite a bit um just wanted to get your kind of opinion on the depth of this team and uh how important it is to utilize that even throughout the regular season it’s yeah you just depth I just excite yeah the depth is when you look across a league there’s not many teams with the depth that we have and and i’ I’ve always been a big believer is you have to develop your bench it’s a big part of this it’s a big part of the big picture um so um you know playing playing a lot of players and and and not only develop your bench but I think you you can find guys you know they need opportunity you know guys guys towards the end of the bench middle of the bench um and and um Again part of the you know part of the the thing I sold to to Kobe and the in the group was you I’ve done that you know I think my third year in brookin I don’t think anybody played more than 30 minutes a game you know we we spread to wealth and I think we found players that way and you can still win that way now I sitting here saying Daman Mitchell’s going to play 25 minutes a game no but we are going to use our bench and we are good I you know and Steve you know Steve was a big me and Steve with we are especially early middle you know we’re we’re we’re and I think that helps you in the playoff I think it helps the locker room uh helps guys get better because they have opportunity and it’s going to help you help you when playoff time comes when you need that and you know you guys have had that experience right and and Cleveland as Richard Jeff you know you’ve had guys in the past that man all a sudden we need the 11th guy it’s it’s game four and so and so struggling Bo you know he comes in and you know makes a difference so we’re going to embrace you know Embrace that that that mentality bench mentality and this is kind of an open-ending question but what’s the key to connecting with a player as a coach oh transparency honesty and then what’s behind that is love and care right like it’s it’s you got to be you know kind of super transparent honest with them and then and then you’re you’re you know I think of my Jared Allen experience where I was you know coach coach him hard but I also I took him in the gym and said you know your numbers going up in this these rafter and I really belied that like you you were that talented so that you know that where you really believe in them but you’re again you’re you’re you also got to coach them and be honest with them the last two Chris Kenny you mentioned your experience in Golden State and how Steve handled Superstar players you didn’t really have that as much in Brooklyn it was a different category of player so whether it was in Los Angeles with Paul or Kawai yeah or Golden State with those guys what specifically did you learn about that that you think can help you with somebody like Donovan I think what I observed yeah in both those play more 101 more individual conversations I think uh um I think you’re you’re partnering partnering with with your with your with your best players it’s a partnership and uh Tai was great at Steve was a master at it where you know when you’re you’re making big decisions and the big sure sure you’re the ultimate decision maker that there’s no doubt about it but you have you’ve you’ve talked that through you’ve talked through it with your best players and a lot of my experience a lot of times they give you they might say no why don’t we do this in the pick and roll why don’t we do this and then and so really it it it it’s a true partnership and that means you better be a great listener you know when when you do have those one-on ones and and you’re not taking maybe every idea they have but you’re you’re you’re Implement menting some of them and it’s going to help you know obviously help help the team and Kobe for you um where do you guys stand with with extension talks related to Donovan so we were just out in uh La for his his Camp uh his Elite camp with Adidas um D was in a great space um you know I don’t want to talk specifics until we we can um we feel good about Donovan he’s in a great space mentally uh he’s healthy um he was he was out there with with those young high school players um hooping in a really good space um really enjoyed the fact that him and Kenny could sit down and talk about the future talk about about the team um you know he uh he’s still under contract right now so I think we can talk about him as a Cavalier um and so you know he’s invested he’s really invested in in in what we’re doing and um you know hopefully soon we’ll have more of a uh decisive answer on that for you but um he’s been great he’s been super involved and and uh and super collaborative and um very very much Pro Cleveland hey Kenny right in front of you here Tim elorn Cavs radio play byplay a lot of talk about Brooklyn pouring over those numbers when you were the head coach Pace three balls near or at the top of the league is that the Kenny Atkinson philosophy that that continues here or does roster and lineups alter that at all that’s at my core yes that’s that’s a philosophy but I think it’s it’s um like I said in the beginning it’s getting to know this team better and that that’s the process of how know getting to know this team better getting to know the players better getting to know their strengths and and weaknesses but at the core I I think um I mean you saw it this year in the finals like like you know the court is spread the three ball is a huge part of it um and I do anticipate um you know picking up the pace um shooting more threes um crashing the glass a little more I think that’s something something we could do better so um but again we we’re going to do whatever the tweaks necessary you know to to get this to get this to the next level tactically so definitely gota gota you know we’re hard at work uh figuring that out right now you mentioned the finals Boston NBA champs uh some of the the reports out there that other teams in the East are making some pretty significant moves where do you see the Cavs falling as far as the Eastern conferences concerned and stacking up with the other teams in the East yeah I’ve I’ve always been this way I’m like Cavs Focus like I’m I’m just you know it’s always been my process sure I’m aware of the league I obviously watch the league and I watch Trends I definitely know what what other teams are doing in the league but I just think if if we’re we’re I’m singular singularly focused on this team um you know with the old uh you know the old Bill Walsh quote you know that you know follow the process the results are going to come and and I just I just believe that um that’s that’s a model I’ve I’ve seen with with with great coaches I’ve been with but it’s also my My Philosophy he thank you everybody for coming thank you thank you very much app thank you guys thank you for

New Cavaliers Head Coach Kenny Atkinson speaks to the media at Cleveland Clinic Courts for the first time since being hired on Friday afternoon. Atkinson will be joined by President of Basketball operations, Koby Altman.