Cavs' Kenny Atkinson Reacts to $100K Fine from NBA, Doubles Down on Strategy

The Cleveland Cavaliers earned a $100,000 fine when they held Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley out of a game against the Miami Heat last week for rest, but head coach Kenny Atkinson has no plans of changing his strategy.

If more than one star—a player who was selected to an All-NBA or All-Star team in any of the prior three seasons—is held out of a game without a listable injury, it results in a $100,00 fine, according to the NBA's Player Participation Policy.

But that $100,000 fine isn't going to stop Atkinson from doing it again.

"Can I be frank? No," Atkinson said when asked if he agreed with, or accepted, the NBA's ruling, per The Athletic's Joe Vardon. "I gotta look at the Cavs' best interest."

Atkinson rested Mitchell and Mobley on the first night of a back-to-back. They played in Miami on Wednesday before heading back to Cleveland the following night for a matchup against the Toronto Raptors. The Cavs had also just played 15 games in 27 days.

Cleveland has already dealt with injuries early on this season, with star point guard Darius Garland playing just three games this year and Max Strus yet to make his debut, so Atkinson is being cautious.

Being cautious and focusing on long-term goals won't help him avoid fines, but he's willing to sacrifice.

"I think my No. 1 job is to protect the health of our players," Atkinson said. "Obviously, we'll have a discussion with the organization (about) what that looks like going forward, but that's a big part of my job and how we manage that.

"Personally, I'll rock with that decision."