For many years, the Cleveland Browns have held the title of the most crazily run organization of the three major professional sports teams in the area. From what we’ve seen over the first few weeks of the NBA season, that title may have transferred to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Since they were swept in the Eastern Conference finals by the New York Knicks last spring, it has been one weird circumstance after another for the wine and gold, and the players, coach, and front office are all culpable.
Over the past five or six games, it looks like the players are in open revolt against Kenny Atkinson, although we don’t know why outwardly. Atkinson doesn’t appear to have an “in your face” coaching demeanor and generally goes out of his way to not throw any individuals under the bus.
Yes, he had the comment about analytics during the series against New York, which we would guess he wished he hadn’t said out loud, but that’s been more on him.
Atkinson isn’t perfect. His continued use of the small lineups drives us crazy, but then when you analyze the situation, you have to realize that seven of the 15 players currently on the Cleveland roster are 6’6″ or shorter, and four of the players who aren’t are two way players in Riley Minix, Norchad Ornier, Khalifa Diop and Ernest Udoh.
Adding to the confusion about the team was last night’s 115-107 win in New York. The Cavaliers’ players might think they are good enough to coast in the regular season and then turn it on in the playoffs, and maybe they are. However, that kind of attitude leads to poor habits.
There aren’t a lot of options to play with size, and that is the fault of Koby Altman, the president of basketball operations.
Altman has either overrated some of the players he has brought in or those players simply haven’t been utilized properly. The organization has been waiting for Evan Mobley to turn into a superstar for five years. Mobley is a solid player; he’s been the Defensive Player of the Year. But it looks like he’s an 18 points, 8 rebound per game guy. And he plays in spurts.
Even last night, he had just 10 points and five boards and was bullied by Karl-Anthony Towns. Jarrett Allen was far better with 11 points and 14 caroms.
Maybe it’s because Mobley has always played with ball dominant guards, but if so, whose fault is that?
Altman also is responsible for the lack of height/size on the roster. Remember that Isaiah Hartenstein was with the Cavs? It wasn’t a priority for the Cavs to keep him even though he showed skills while wearing a Cavaliers’ uniform.
Then you have the James Harden issue. We understand why the deal was made at the deadline, but we also always wrote any deal for Darius Garland shouldn’t be made about getting equal talent, it would be about getting a better fit.
Is it shocking that a 37-year-old guard looks like they may have hit the wall? His shooting numbers are way down and so are his assists. The Cavs inked him to a three-year deal after the season. Hard to see Altman getting out of that, although we all thought Shawn Kemp’s contract was impossible to get out of, and then GM Jim Paxson did it.
It also isn’t a good look for Donovan Mitchell either. Mitchell probably was consulted and let it be known he wasn’t happy with J.B. Bickerstaff, and so now he’s not happy with Atkinson either? And if he doesn’t have a problem with the coach, shouldn’t he stand up in front of his teammates and say that?
It’s just hard to believe that just five months ago, the Cavaliers advanced further than they ever have since LeBron James departed after 2018. Because now they seem like an inconsistent mess.
