On Monday, the Cleveland Cavaliers introduced Kenny Atkinson as their new head coach. He and Cavs President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman spoke to the press, here’s what we learned.
The Cavs hired Kenny Atkinson last week to replace long-time head coach J.B. Bickerstaff who was let go in May. Atkinson, 57, had some encouraging comments for the Cleveland faithful during the press conference.
Firstly, Atkinson had very high praise for Cavs big man Evan Mobley. Mobley has been a staple of the Cavs lineup since he was drafted third overall in 2021.
Evan will be an All-Star. We all know that.
Mobley is entering his fourth season as a pro. He has averaged 15.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists while playing stellar defense. At 6’11” Mobley is an extremely talented shot blocker and rim protector. His offensive game has developed since his rookie year to the point he is shooting threes at a 37.3% clip this past season. Coach Bickerstaff received criticism for his seeming inability to develop Mobley’s offensive game more throughout his first three seasons. Atkinson is aware of Mobley’s potential and is prioritizing to feature him more in the offense next season.
Cavs reporter Evan Dammarell says that Atkinson has spoken to Mobley and intends to increase Mobley’s usage rate, especially with Mobley’s passing vision and playmaking.
For his size, Mobley is a great passer. He has a great tandem with Jarrett Allen and both Cavs guards. Mobley is particularly dangerous in space when he can put the ball down and attack. On plays Mobley dribbled between three and six times he shot 52.5% during the regular season. The season before on the same such plays he shot just 36.6% showing clear progress. Regarding his passing, Jarrett Allen shot 68.2% on shots where he received a pass from Mobley. The issue with these three stats is the usage. All three have a frequency of 10% or under. Atkinson plans to change this. A Mobley breakout campaign could bring the Cavs to a legitimate contender in the East.
Atkinson mentioned the importance of depth. He emphasized that the bench will play a major role next season.
“Now, am I going to play Donovan Mitchell 25 minutes a game? No. But, I’m going to use my bench. … we are going to embrace that bench mentality.”
The Cavs bench had its moments last season, but also some major struggles. During the playoffs the bench was majorly a no-show, shooting 31% as a team compared to the 36.7% they shot in the regular season. Injuries allowed the bench to see the floor more. During the stretch, both Mobley and Darius Garland missed extended time the bench stepped up as the Cavs went 21-4. The bench has ability and shares similarities with the bench of a contender however it lacks consistency. So far in free agency, the Cavs have added no one, meaning it’ll be largely the same group out to prove a point next season.
With Atkinson’s style of play, especially the vast difference from Bickerstaff’s style it will require the bench to show up.
As mentioned, there is a major difference between Atkinson’s and Bickerstaff’s styles of play. Kenny Atkinson said his core philosophy is spreading the floor and playing with pace. Under Bickerstaff, the Cavs ranked 24th in pace this season and dead last the year before. In Brooklyn, Kenny Atkinson’s teams ranked in the top 11 in pace in all four seasons with him as coach. The Cavs are going to play faster, which could play into their strengths as they have a young team that likes to shoot.
It will also likely improve the offense, which was a major issue under Bickerstaff. The Cavs ranked in the bottom 12 in points per game the last two seasons with Bickerstaff. With Donovan Mitchell at the helm, Cleveland could take a major step offensively this season.
