The Cleveland Cavaliers have ended the wait for Kenny Atkinson to finally return to the sidelines as a head coach. Despite leading one of the most improbable success stories of the past decade with the Brooklyn Nets, Atkinson was unceremoniously fired in 2020 and hadn't led a team since.
For as exciting as it is to see Atkinson return to the ranks of the NBA head coaches with Cleveland, one of his former Nets players could ultimately define his tenure.
Atkinson will be coaching several familiar faces in 2024-25, with none more prominent than All-Star center Jarrett Allen. Atkinson was coaching the Nets when they selected Allen at No. 22 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft and was instrumental in his development as a player.
Together, they helped Brooklyn reach the 2019 NBA Playoffs with an unlikely cast of characters leading the team to a 42-40 record.
In Cleveland, Allen and Atkinson will be reunited on a team that has far grander expectations than simply making the playoffs. The Cavaliers have won at least 44 games in each of the past three seasons, made the playoffs in both 2022-23 and 2023-24, and won a series this past postseason.
If the Cavaliers are going to get over the hump and consistently contend, however, Allen won't be the former Net who defines Atkinson's tenure—it'll be Caris LeVert.
Cavaliers have a massive Caris LeVert decision to make
LeVert is widely regarded as one of the most dynamic players south of the All-Star line. He began to establish that reputation under Atkinson in Brooklyn after averaging 21.0 points per game on .493/.462/.724 shooting during the first round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs.
Unfortunately, injuries have come to define large portions of LeVert's career—until, of course, he arrived in Cleveland.
LeVert missed 42 games in 2018-19 and 27 in 2019-20. He appeared in just 47 games in 2020-21 and was available for 58 in 2021-22, thus continuing the unfortunate trend of his tremendous talent being overshadowed by his lack of availability.
Over the past two seasons with the Cavaliers, however, LeVert has played 74 and 68 games—leaving Cleveland to ponder how sustainable his consistent availability can be.
Levert, who's owed $16,615,384 for the 2024-25 season, will become an unrestricted free agent in 2025. If health permits, it stands to reason that Atkinson would want to keep a player he's quite familiar with on the roster beyond his first year at the helm.
That would certainly be justified if LeVert can build upon a 2023-24 campaign during which he averaged 14.0 points, 5.1 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game.
Unfortunately, the hurdle in potential LeVert negotiations goes far beyond the injury concerns. The extensions given to Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley will kick in next season, meaning the Cavaliers will have three annual salaries of upwards of $38 million on the books—as well as the $20,000,000 owed to Allen and nearly $16 million due to Max Strus.
With the second apron all but destined to come calling, Cleveland will have to answer a simple question when LeVert's free agency comes about in 2025: Is he essential to helping the team win a title?
The answer will define Atkinson's tenure.