NBA Hot-Seat Rumors on Cavs HC Kenny Atkinson amid Firing Questions, Losing Streak
The seat for Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson "is starting to get a little warm," according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst.
In the newest episode of his Hoop Collective podcast, the NBA insider reported a coaching change isn't yet imminent, though.
"My assessment in speaking to folks around the team is that they believe the best approach right now is to try to work through this, get healthy, and find ways to improve and get through it," he said starting at the 20:32 mark. "I don't think radical change or roster change is coming."
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Colleague Tim MacMahon added that Atkinson's job security "is coming up" in conversations around the league.
The Cavs are seventh in the Eastern Conference at 15-14. They've lost eight of their last 11 games, including three straight in matchups against the Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls.
Windhorst pointed to the fact guard Sam Merrill is poised to return to the lineup after missing 14 games. His presence will be a big help to a team that's shooting just 33.9 percent from beyond the arc.
Forwards Evan Mobley and Max Strus are still out but will come back at some point. The former should suit up by mid-January based on his initial timeline.
Cleveland may look much different once it has its full roster healthy.
Windhorst said the dynamic with Atkinson, however, could shift if the team is continuing to fall well short of expectations in another month.
The Cavaliers are in a tough spot because they don't have a lot of levers to pull. They have the league's largest payroll ($231.1 million), and they're $22 million into the second apron of the luxury tax.
The front office doesn't have much flexibility to improve the roster ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline. Because of that, firing the head coach is the most straightforward tool to effect any change.
But moving on from Atkinson less than a year removed from a 64-win campaign would reek of panic, and the coaching options are always more limited in midseason.
It's easy to see why the Cavs are hopeful that staying the course will pay off.
