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Cleveland Cavaliers Receive Huge Coaching News
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 Cleveland Cavaliers have some positive news surrounding their coaching staff heading into next season.

According to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto, Cavaliers assistant Johnnie Bryant is expected to return to Cleveland for the 2025-26 season.

"After being a finalist for Phoenix’s head coaching job, Cavaliers associate head coach Johnnie Bryant is expected to return to Cleveland," Scotto wrote.

Bryant was alongside other Cavaliers assistant Jordan Ott in the Suns' head coaching search earlier this offseason before Phoenix ultimately went with Ott or their choice as the franchise's next lead voice on the sidelines.

Now with that decision officially in the books, signs point to Bryant returning to his role as one of the top assistants in Kenny Atkinson's staff within Cleveland.

At this point in the NBA offseason, only one head coaching vacancy remains available around the league, that being the New York Knicks' job after their call to fire Tom Thibodeau. And even while Bryant has been a former assistant in New York, and saw some early whispers of perhaps being a candidate in that search, it seems like the Cavaliers assistant will instead opt to stay put.

Bryant has been with the Cavaliers since being brought on board during the 2024 summer from the Knicks, and was a key voice in the coaching staff as a part of Cleveland's latest 60-win season. Before that, he was a long-time assistant for the Utah Jazz, starting in 2014 all the way until his departure for New York in 2020.

Now looking ahead to the 2025-26 NBA season, Bryant expects to be back in the fold for a second season to help lead this group to higher heights than their second-round exit to the Indiana Pacers from just over a month ago.

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This article first appeared on Cleveland Cavaliers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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