Despite being the reigning NBA Coach of the Year and owning a 79–32 record in Cleveland, Kenny Atkinson is facing mounting pressure amid the Cavaliers' uneven start to the 2025-26 season and growing dissatisfaction from owner Dan Gilbert.
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Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson may not be as secure in his position as his résumé suggests.
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"I've been hearing rumbles in coaching circles for weeks, amazingly, that pressure is indeed mounting on Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson, but I frankly struggled to believe such chatter," NBA insider Marc Stein reported.
"Atkinson, after all, is the NBA's reigning Coach of the Year and is only in his second season on the Cavaliers' bench."
Atkinson's tenure in Cleveland began in spectacular fashion, with the Cavaliers opening his debut season with a 15–0 record. This year, however, the team sits at 15–14 and has struggled to find consistency.
The Cavs were especially underwhelming during a recent stretch of four games in 13 days, narrowly avoiding a 0–4 skid against Washington, Charlotte, and Chicago in back-to-back matchups.
Concerns intensified after a report from The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Chris Fedor, who said Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert is "very unhappy" with the team's current state—fueling speculation about a possible shake-up.
Still, one Marc Stein source close to the situation pushed back on the idea that Gilbert's dissatisfaction would have any immediate consequences for Atkinson.
According to that source, Gilbert was one of the strongest advocates for hiring Atkinson as J.B. Bickerstaff's successor.
Despite the recent turbulence, Atkinson's overall record in Cleveland remains impressive.
He is 79–32 with the Cavaliers, having won 64 games in his first season. That campaign, however, ended in disappointment, as Cleveland was eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
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