Cavs' biggest rotation decisions facing Kenny Atkinson in 2024-25 season
Managing NBA rotations can be difficult and often thankless for a head coach. Whether you play a tight eight-man group or delve deep into your bench, the results matter. Regarding new Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson , it appears he's leaving all his cards on the table. Atkinson will lean heavily on superstars like Donovan Mitchell and Evan Moble y. But during his preseason media availability , Atkinson revealed that he would leave no stone unturned regarding how deep he'd go into his bench.
"I'm going to play ten guys right off the bat. I'd say even eleven," Atkinson said. "I think by developing your bench, that prepares you for the playoffs because you never know, right?
"I mean, geez, how many rotational players do we have," said Atkinson. "We're going to play a lot of guys, and our main guys, we're going to be really strategic with how we use them. That's a bit of a shift, definitely part of our coaching staff's philosophy."
Atkinson shared that his reasoning behind deepening Cleveland's rotation is two-fold. On the one hand, Atkinson wants to ensure that if he calls a player's number during the playoffs, they're ready and comfortable playing with rotation mainstays when the pressure is heightened. The other is to ensure the Cavs are as healthy as possible in the playoffs. Last season, Cleveland was limping into their first-round matchup with the Orlando Magic. So, the healthier, the better, and that's possible with minutes spread to ten or eleven players.
Who will make the Cavs rotation under Kenny Atkinson?
With that in mind, who will be in Atkinson's rotation when Cleveland opens the season on the road against the Toronto Raptors? The starting unit Mitchell, Mobley, Jarrett Allen, Darius Garland, and Max Strus will remain untouched. The same goes for sixth man Caris LeVert getting minutes along with Isaac Okoro, Georges Niang, and Dean Wade rounding out the Cavs' regular nine-man rotation. But who will get the nod from Atkinson for the final two spots? Cleveland has some pretty clear options based on how he likes to run his offense and his plans on how Atkinson wants the Cavs to play .
Atkinson's offensive scheme is a predicated motion-based offense. He wants to play with pace and make three-pointers while moving the ball and empowering his players to make the right reads. With that in mind, sharpshooter Sam Merrill, who owns the franchise record for most bench three-pointers in a season, makes almost too much sense. Merrill's three-point accuracy is such a valuable commodity that he could enter the list above of no-brainer bench options.
Who else is fighting for the last rotation spot?
The same can't be said for Ty Jerome, who only played two games last year due to a nagging ankle injury. However, if he's healthy, he could push Merrill for minutes. Atkinson and Cavs President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman shared that Jerome has been stellar during preseason workouts. Jerome fits the mold of a big-bodied combo guard who can slash and score from the perimeter. Jerome becomes less of a fringe rotation player if he can stay healthy. But, until he does that, Jerome will likely be battling for minutes as the eleventh man under Atkinson.
Rookie swingman Jaylon Tyson, defensive guard Craig Porter Jr., and veteran big man Tristan Thompson are in a similar spot to Jerome. While none deal with injury concerns like Jerome, they're all on the fringe for different reasons. For Tyson, it's because he's a rookie trying to earn minutes on an established roster. With Porter Jr., there are legitimate concerns about his perimeter shooting. Finally, for Thompson, it's a combination of age and the Cavs leaning heavily on Mobley and Allen at center.
When you break it all down, Cleveland has a good problem on its hands. The Cavs have numerous options to play any night, and while the top ten are set, the eleventh man can give Atkinson some variance based on the matchup. It's an excellent way to get players comfortable with one another on the floor, especially in a new offensive system. More importantly, it keeps the Cavs' stars fresh and healthy, making a huge difference come playoff time.
