Here's why Cavaliers are reportedly willing to be patient with Kenny Atkinson

Cleveland Cavaliers owner David Griffin and President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman have to be underwhelmed without the season has gone so far.

The Cavaliers are a team with goals to reach the Eastern conference finals and beyond. The starting lineup has had their fair share of nagging injuries throughout the season and the bench lacks depth, but even 15-14 seems far below what this team is capable of.

The Cavaliers are playing below their standard and everyone in the building is aware of it. Fans are now left to wonder if anything needs to change. Fans are also left to wonder whether the coaching staff or the personnel on the court needs to change more. The Cavs front office won't make any quick and drastic decision on either side.

Kenny Atkinson not leaving soon

The bright side of the struggles for Cleveland this season is that they're still one of the top eight teams in the Eastern conference and there's still a lot of season left. Former Cavaliers head coach and current Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff coached Cleveland for four full season. Don't expect Cleveland to make another switch at head coach too quickly.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst spoke on his Hoop Collective podcast to give insight into the Cavaliers situation.

"My assessment in speaking to folks around the team is that they believe the best approach right now is to try to work through this, get healthy, and find ways to improve and get through it...I don't think radical change or roster change is coming."
ESPN's Brian Windhorst

The Cavaliers have lost four of their past five games.

How hot is Atkinson's hot seat right now?

Windhorst added to this by emphasizing Atkinson isn't completely clear for the entire season. The Denver Nuggets fired their championship-winning head coach three games before the end of the regular season. The Cavaliers are the most expensive team in the NBA and they're underperforming.

"It [the hot seat] is what it would be for any coach on a team that's this expensive and underperforming. The seat is starting to get a little warm...I don't think radical change or roster change is coming. Now, we're in mid-December. If you get to mid-to-late January and you're still in 9th place, that may be a different conversation."

Windhorst made sure to acknowledge the upcoming returns of sharpshooters Sam Merill and Max Strus. He continued to reiterate that Cleveland thinks the best course of action right now is to weather the storm and to find different ways to simply make their current situation better.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are currently the favorites to win the East next season, per @BovadaOfficial

Cleveland Cavaliers: +250
New York Knicks: +275
Boston Celtics: +600
Orlando Magic: +600
Indiana Pacers: +1100
Philadelphia 76ers: +1200
Detroit Pistons: +1500
Milwaukee Bucks:… pic.twitter.com/mHU8hqookf
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 23, 2025

The question being bounced around the league

Atkinson's job security has reportedly been a topic of conversation around the league, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon.

"I ask because it's the question being bounced around the league right now not because I think Kenny Atkinson should take the lion's share of the blame.

ESPN's Tim Bontemps added that he would be surprised if this team looked the same next year and likened the Cleveland situation to Phoenix's debacle with Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. The Cavaliers play the Charlotte Hornets tonight at 7:00pm Eastern on NBC's Peacock.