Before adding De'Andre Hunter at the trade deadline, the Cleveland Cavaliers had not made any roster changes this season. The only significant change was coaching leadership, moving on from J.B. Bickerstaff for Kenny Atkinson.
Atkinson inherited a team with some of the highest untapped potential in the NBA. A core group of rising stars led by a perennial All-Star in Donovan Mitchell at the helm, the Cavaliers were already on the path to success. Bickerstaff helped raise the team's floor and get them to a new level of competition. Once there, however, Bickerstaff's stagnant offense left much to be desired.
Consistently, the Cavs perform as one of the best defensive squads across the Association. Offensively, the Bickerstaff era could only reach the middle of the league over the course of a full season. For the next head coach, solving the seemingly redundant offense would be the top priority. In less than one year, Atkinson has done so and is now the frontrunner for Coach of the Year in his inaugural Cavaliers season.
While Atkinson has made numerous offensive changes, including utilizing his bench depth more often, one unique shift with the current core has given the Cavaliers a noticeable advantage they did not have before. Setting franchise records and historic win streaks was not by accident but by design. Atkinson's offensive design is second to none, giving Cleveland the league's top offense this season/
The Cavaliers' core needed to be solved
Since trading for Mitchell in 2022, the Cavs needed to find the answer to an undersized backcourt and oversized frontcourt. Advanced statistics suggested Mitchell and Darius Garland were a positive duo, something that stopped President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman from feeding into offseason rumors that Garland wanted out. The eye test said otherwise, though, as Cleveland's backcourt duo seemed to clash and perform better separately.
As for the bigs, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley had a nearly identical offensive skillset. They were both lethal threats in the dunker spot, but playing together could clog the paint. While Evan Mobley's improved floor spacing has helped this season, Atkinson's coaching tactics have given Mobley the platform to improve.
Bickerstaff found the solution in staggering minutes among the core. Atkinson has similarly staggered the four young stars, but his method in rotations has dramatically changed the offense.
Cleveland's rotations are key to success
Last season, Bickerstaff would pair Mitchell with Allen, taking Garland and Mobley to the bench per the NBA's Lineup Tool. Conversely, Garland would spend the majority of his time with Mobley. This pairing gave Cleveland their two stars with greater experience on the floor together, building a strong synergy between Mitchell and Allen.
Together, Mitchell and Allen achieved an 8.1 net rating in 1,407 minutes in the regular season together. They achieved a 116.3 offensive rating. As for Mobley and Garland, the younger duo only reached a 4.0 net rating in 1,069 minutes. Altogether, Bickerstaff's rotations were positive, but uninspiring. Garland and Mobley were good but flawed, typically average at best.
As aforementioned, Atkinson has also staggered minutes throughout the year, just as much as Bickerstaff. Where he changed the plan, though, was who played with who. Cleveland's highest-played two-man lineup is Garland and Allen, earning a 9.2 net rating, over double Garland's duo's net rating from a year earlier.
As for Mitchell, Atkinson plays him alongside Mobley with a 13.3 net rating over 1,447 minutes, the best rating of any combination of any two core four Cavaliers. Mitchell's on-ball gravity has forced defenses away from Mobley, giving him more opportunity to find a timely cut to the paint or chance to float out to the open perimeter. Additionally, Mobley's intelligent playmaking and scoring makes use of Mitchell's off-ball gravity.
Garland and Allen have played together over 200 minutes more than Mobley and Mitchell, likely leading to a lower net rating. Still, this is a significant improvement over what Garland and Mobley provided last year. Finding the right pace and pairings elevated Cleveland's core from full of potential to a dangerous group surrounded by talented role players.
Kenny Atkinson came to the Cavaliers with a nearly-complete puzzle. The foundation was set by a smart front office and hard-working coaching staff. Atkinson's strategic mind and offensive mentality have pushed the Cleveland Cavaliers beyond their limits over the last few seasons.