In just one season, [Cleveland Cavaliers](https://fansided.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/) head coach Kenny Atkinson transformed the Cavs from a middling squad to a formidable powerhouse. He led the team to an impressive 64-18 record and the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, which earned him the Coach of the Year Award.
Atkinson has been praised for unlocking the Cav's full potential last season; however, winning the Coach of the Year might not be the blessing it appears to be.
Could Kenny Atkinson be on the hot seat?
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It seems unlikely that a coach who won 64 games just a season ago could be on the hot seat; however, recent history may paint a different picture. The last five recipients of the Coach of the Year award were all unceremoniously relieved of duty not long after receiving the honor.
New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau is among the recent head coaches to win the award, then to be fired from the New York Knicks later. The Sacramento Kings fired Mike Brown during the regular season, and Monty Williams' time was cut short with both the Phoenix Suns and Detroit Pistons.
Despite their dominance throughout the regular season, the Cavs underperformed in the postseason once again. They were eliminated in the second round of the NBA Playoffs for the second consecutive year, falling short of their goal of advancing to the NBA Championship. This season, they lost to the Indiana Pacers.
The Cavaliers have a talented roster and a foundation to win a championship; however, changes could be on the way for this Cavs roster. All-Star point guard Darius Garland, along with Jarrett Allen, have reportedly surfaced in trade rumors with the Cavs looking to reshape its roster.
There is no doubt that Kenny Atkinson is a talented coach; he demonstrated this during his time with the Brooklyn Nets and again with the Cavaliers. However, he would need to yield results to stick around in Cleveland. The Cavaliers' end goal is to win a championship. Whether Atkinson will be the one to lead them remains to be seen.