The Cleveland Cavaliers are searching for a solution in the midst of a tumultuous season.
Despite injuries mounting, few Cavs players have stepped up to help lift the team and keep the season alive. Cleveland has quickly become a team surrounded by trade vultures as rival organizations prepare for an implosion near Lake Erie.
Rumors swirled about the first domino that would fall. As with every trade season, Darius Garland's name floated as a potential trade chip. Although Garland's presence is key to the Cavaliers' offensive efficiency, he is consistently targeted as the first player on the way out to save the team.
Jarrett Allen has also been subject to trade rumors with his decreasing role and playing time. In order to move Evan Mobley to the full-time center spot, Allen's departure may be necessary, but his current return may be less than what the Cavaliers hope as teams look to take advantage of a rocky season.
Notably, though, the name most recently lauded as the potential first member of the team sent packing is head coach Kenny Atkinson. After winning Coach of the Year in his first season with Cleveland, rumors suggest that his job is under threat already.
If Atkinson is ousted, the good news is that his associate head coach Johnnie Bryant is a proven talent and could swiftly fill the role as either the interim head coach or the eventual full-time head coach. The bad news is that the Cavaliers' problems are not about gameplan by the coach, but execution by the players.
Cleveland's December 22 139-132 victory over the Charlotte Hornets is a clear indicator of Atkinson's value. The Cavs did not do anything mind-blowing against the Hornets and kept to the same strategy Atkinson has implemented since his arrival. WIth the return of Sam Merill and another return-to-form game by Garland, Cleveland's lead ballooned to 19 points in the fourth quarter before Charlotte's last-ditch effort brought it back to single digits.
Atkinson's gameplan works. The Cavaliers have the right coach, but the players have not dutifuly executed every game.
Thankfully, the newest piece of Cavaliers news may save Atkinson from suffering an undeserved fate as the go-to scapegoat that so many teams have done in recent years.
Dan Gilbert's involvement with the Cavaliers can save Atkinson
Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert is reportedly getting more involved with the team as he grows unhappy with the performance and outcome.
The Cavs are the only team in the luxury tax's second apron and are the highest payroll in the NBA by far. With more than $22 million over the second apron in salaries, Gilbert is set to pay a hefty luxury tax bill by the end of the season if the Cavs stay above the threshold.
Gilbert has historically been willing to pay the tax for a winning team. He is one of the most supportive owners in the NBA when he believes in his team's chances to compete for a championship. By getting more involved, though, it may signal the Cavaliers' leash is tightening.
With Gilbert involved, the Cavaliers may be forced to face their biggest flaws and explore the trade market. Additionally, in the same report that suggested Atkinson is on the hot seat, Marc Stein also noted that Gilbert was a big fan of the Atkinson hire and could keep the team from firing him this year.
"One source close to the process…pushed back to The Stein Line on the idea that any dismay from Gilbert would have any immediate impact on Atkinson"Marc Stein
While Atkinson's hot seat may have been reaching boiling temperatures earlier, Gilbert's sudden involvement may save the Cavs and Atkinson from a disastrous decision.
In Atkinson's inaugural Cavaliers season, he led the team to 64 wins and a first-round sweep over the Miami Heat. An injury to Garland, which is still plaguing him now, halted the Cavs' postseason momentum against the Indiana Pacers. Cleveland suddenly went from an unstoppable force to a team desperately searching for any offensive rhythm.
All evidence points to the idea of firing Atkinson being a flawed move for a team needing change. Finding change in scapegoat, however, only postpones the inevitable encounter with the deeply-seeded issues. Cleveland has built an identity on a cohesive young core of All-Star-level talent, but no matter the coaching staff or supporting cast, that core has failed to produce the intended results.
Blaming Atkinson would be a mistake. Dan Gilbert seems to know that, and as the owner, he can save the Cleveland Cavaliers from a panic-induced error. If Cleveland wants change, firing Atkinson is the worst place to start.