Kenny Atkinson hasn’t exactly coasted through his first two seasons in Cleveland, but the Cavs coach sounds like someone who’s fully embraced the place anyway.
Atkinson spoke about that connection during his Media Day interview with 92.3 The Fan Cleveland, and he didn’t hide how much he enjoys being around the city.
“"This is such a great sports city. Yesterday, I'm watching the Browns game on the edge of my couch.
And then I follow the Guardians, and I'm watching them do it again. I just love walking around Cleveland...everyone calls me 'coach'."
That’s the kind of line that lands well with fans. It says he’s not just passing through. He’s paying attention, he’s part of the rhythm of the city, and he’s clearly comfortable enough to be recognized just walking around downtown.
The on-court picture has been a little more complicated. Cleveland went 64-18 in Atkinson’s first season and finished first in the East, then followed that with a 52-win campaign and a fourth-place finish in year two before reaching the Eastern Conference finals. Some of his rotation choices have drawn questions, and there were also some “unique” quotes coming out of that ECF run.
The Knicks swept Cleveland, and it wasn’t even clear right after that series whether Atkinson would be back. But as the offseason winds down, the mood around the team is different now. There’s real energy in the building, and there’s a sense that he could still be the guy who pushes the Cavs even further.
Atkinson’s track record in Cleveland is already strong. He has averaged 58 wins across two regular seasons and helped the team win three playoff series. That’s a step up from what came before, even if former coach JB Bickerstaff deserves credit for taking the Pistons to two straight postseasons and a No. 1 seed in year two.
There’s also a simple reality hanging over all of this: Atkinson’s job appears very safe right now. And if the way people greet him around Cleveland is any indication, “Coach” is going to keep following him everywhere he goes.
The Cavs still look like a real contender in the East. They re-tooled by adding Peyton Watson to become the new starting small forward. Built forward Mario Hezonja, who said he doesn’t like the sun, seems to be the perfect place for himself.
Rookie Meleek Thomas has also been one of the talking points of Media Day. He was a second-round pick who broke out immediately and looked tall next to the other new additions while speaking confidently throughout the day.
Atkinson has already reached the Eastern Conference finals with Cleveland, something only four other coaches in franchise history have done. He also joined Mike Brown as the only coach to win 60-plus games in a season for the franchise. That’s the kind of résumé that suggests something meaningful is being built.
For now, the expectation is that Cleveland will be a top-three team in the East during the regular season before having to navigate a tougher conference in the playoffs. The roster is talented. The combinations just have to click.
And Atkinson, for his part, sounds like he’s happy to keep building it in the city he’s grown to love.
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Tyrese Proctor and Meleek Thomas are also in the picture, which makes this a real competition rather than a courtesy nod to experience. For Porter, the challenge is familiar: defense can get him on the floor, but Cleveland needs a backup guard who can steady the offense too, and that part of his game still has room to grow. How he handles that balance will go a long way toward deciding whether he claims the opening. [Read more 🡒]
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According to the records, Smith was pulled over after an automatic license plate reader flagged his vehicle because of an active warrant, and he was then booked at the Hunt County Detention Center. Smith, a two-time NBA champion who later enrolled at North Carolina A&T State University as a collegiate golfer, has long been in the public eye for life beyond basketball, but this latest development leaves a very different kind of question hanging over his post-playing career. [Read more 🡒]
Dean Wade Just Gave Cavs Fans A New Reason To React
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In an interview, Wade said he joined the Sixers to compete for a championship, a familiar line in a new uniform but one that still matters when it comes from a player with his background. Philadelphia expects him to be more than just a depth piece, with a chance to factor as a versatile defender and a useful bench contributor. For Cavs fans, it is another reminder of how much value Wade developed in Cleveland, and why his next chapter could end up being watched closely back home. [Read more 🡒]