Biggest Challenges Facing Kenny Atkinson This Season With Cavaliers

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson must overcome these obstacles in order to be successful this season.

Feb 28, 2020; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson reacts after a play during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at State Farm Arena. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Despite all the hype surrounding Cleveland Cavaliers’ newly-hired head coach Kenny Atkinson, he will be tasked with a unique set of challenges as the season quickly approaches.

Cleveland’s struggles last season stemmed from the offensive side of the floor. Despite finishing as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, the Cavs scored just 110.8 points per game, which ranked 23rd in the NBA.

Aside from injuries, there was a glaring issue with production from the team’s best players when they shared the floor. Atkinson, an offensive-minded head coach, will have to find a way to make those same pairings function efficiently. 

Atkinson must find a way to get the best out of Darius Garland, as he shares the backcourt with Donovan Mitchell. The 24-year-old point guard just shot his worst percentages from the floor since his rookie season, shooting 44.6% from the field and 37.1% beyond the arc.

Additionally, the new head coach must be able to develop Evan Mobley into a star in just one offseason.

Mobley was far from useless last season, finishing with a top 15 shooting percentage in the league while nearly averaging a double-double. In addition, the rising star showed glimpses of his potential during the Eastern Conference Semifinals after totaling 33 points in the Cavs' elimination game against the Boston Celtics.

But, in order for Mobley to be more efficient, he must improve from beyond the arc at a much higher volume than last season. This would allow for better floor spacing while playing alongside Jarrett Allen. 

While these are no simple fixes, the most challenging of the circumstances presented to Atkinson remains the expectations he faces from the fans. 

After finishing just shy of an Eastern Conference Finals appearance this past spring, the fanbase is expecting improved results. The simple idea of backlash from putting together a season that doesn’t improve on last year’s results presents the biggest obstacle for the Cavaliers' first-year head coach to overcome.