Cavs at a Crossroads: Mounting Pressure on Kenny Atkinson as Injuries, Inconsistency Cloud Cleveland’s Season
The Cleveland Cavaliers came into this season with big expectations. On paper, they had the kind of roster that could make serious noise in the East-deep, versatile, and battle-tested.
But now, just a couple of games above .500 and sitting at 15-13, the vibes around this team have shifted dramatically. What was supposed to be a step forward has turned into a season stuck in neutral, and it’s starting to put real pressure on head coach Kenny Atkinson.
Let’s be clear: the Cavs haven’t had it easy. Injuries have hit hard and often.
Jarrett Allen, Sam Merrill, Darius Garland, and now Evan Mobley have all missed significant time. That’s a big chunk of the rotation, and it’s tough to build chemistry or consistency when your lineup is constantly in flux.
But injuries aren’t the whole story.
Even when relatively healthy, this team has struggled to find its rhythm. The effort has wavered.
Defensive lapses, sluggish starts, and stretches of uninspired play have all been part of the mix. That lack of urgency led to a players-only meeting last week-a classic move when a team knows it needs to reset internally.
But since then? Not much has changed.
The Cavs have gone 1-2 in the three games following that meeting, and the issues that have plagued them all season still linger.
That’s where the pressure on Atkinson starts to build.
Now in his first year with Cleveland after winning NBA Coach of the Year honors last season, Atkinson was brought in to elevate a talented roster and push the Cavs deeper into the postseason. But with the team currently in play-in territory, questions are starting to surface about whether he’s the right voice for this group-and how much patience the organization will have if things don’t improve soon.
Cavs insider Joe Vardon added some fuel to that fire in a recent interview with 92.3 The Fan’s Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima. When asked directly whether Atkinson is on the hot seat, Vardon didn’t hesitate: “Yes.”
He also provided some key context. According to Vardon, the hiring process that brought Atkinson to Cleveland wasn’t exactly unanimous.
The front office reportedly favored James Borrego as their top choice, but team owner Dan Gilbert ultimately steered the decision toward Atkinson. That kind of behind-the-scenes tension doesn’t go away overnight, especially when the team underperforms.
Vardon went on to say, “Not everybody's on the same page right now, and losing has a lot to do with that. It hasn't been a good couple months.”
He also pointed out the financial reality: this is an expensive roster, built to win now. When the results don’t match the investment, tough conversations are inevitable.
So what’s next?
It’s not panic time-yet. The Cavs still have time to right the ship.
Getting healthy would help tremendously. A full-strength frontcourt with Mobley and Allen anchoring the defense changes a lot.
Garland’s return would stabilize the backcourt and give Donovan Mitchell a little breathing room. If the team can string together some wins and recapture the energy that made them so dangerous last season, the narrative could flip quickly.
But if the inconsistency continues, and if the disconnect between players, coaches, and the front office grows wider, Atkinson’s seat could get a lot hotter in a hurry.
This is a pivotal stretch for Cleveland. The talent is there.
The expectations haven’t disappeared. Now it’s about whether the Cavs-and their head coach-can weather the storm and find their footing before the season slips away.