Cleveland Cavaliers Rumors

Super-Max/Rose Rule Candidates To Watch After Mobley Cashed In

April 25th, 2025 at 8:49pm CST by Luke Adams

As we detailed on Thursday within our story about Evan Mobley earning Defensive Player of the Year honors, the award represented a major financial boon for the Cavaliers big man, who significantly increased the value of his contract extension by virtue of being named this season’s Defensive Player of the Year.

Mobley signed a five-year, maximum-salary rookie scale extension last summer that included Rose Rule language. The Rose Rule allows a player and team to negotiate a maximum salary worth up to 30% of the cap (instead of the usual 25%) for a player with just four years of NBA experience if he makes an All-NBA team or wins the MVP or DPOY award.

Interestingly, Mobley’s rookie scale extension would’ve started at 27.5% of the cap in 2025/26 if he had made the All-NBA third team (instead of one of the first two teams) and hadn’t won Defensive Player of the Year.

Now that he has received DPOY recognition, it will instead start at 30%.

Here are the three scenarios that had been in play for Mobley, based on a projected 10% cap increase:

Year	25% of cap	27.5% of cap	30% of cap
2025/26	$38,661,750	$42,527,925	$46,394,100
2026/27	$41,754,690	$45,930,159	$50,105,628
2027/28	$44,847,630	$49,332,393	$53,817,156
2028/29	$47,940,570	$52,734,627	$57,528,684
2029/30	$51,033,510	$56,136,861	$61,240,212
Total	$224,238,150	$246,661,965	$269,085,780

Mobley cashed in with his DPOY win, locking in a contract that projects to be worth in excess of $269MM over the next five seasons. Are there any other players who could join him by earning All-NBA nods this spring?

There’s only really one other guy who entered award season in the same boat as Mobley, waiting to see if his rookie scale extension worth 25% of the cap will increase to 30% of the cap. That player is Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham.

Cunningham looks like a pretty safe bet to be included on one of the All-NBA teams for 2024/25, and unlike Mobley, his contract doesn’t include any variable rates between 25% and 30% depending on which All-NBA team he makes. If Cunningham is a third-teamer, that would still be enough to bump his ’25/26 salary to 30% of the cap, matching Mobley’s deal.

Two other players signed Rose Rule extensions last offseason, but Magic forward Franz Wagner didn’t appear in enough games to qualify for All-NBA consideration and Raptors forward Scottie Barnes isn’t a serious candidate for the honor — their new contracts will start at 25% of next season’s cap.

There’s one other player to watch for potential super-max candidacy though — Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. would become eligible for a super-max (ie. “designated veteran“) contract extension worth up to 35% of the cap if he’s one of this season’s 15 All-NBA players. He looks like a solid bet to make the cut after serving as Memphis’ most reliable offensive weapon and earning DPOY votes.

If Jackson earns an All-NBA spot, the Grizzlies would have three options when they enter extension talks with him this offseason:

They could offer him a raise of up to 40% off his current contract, but that likely wouldn’t be enough to get a deal done, since his salary in the final year of his current deal in 2025/26 is just $23.4MM, a relatively modest figure for an All-NBA caliber player.
They could use cap room to renegotiate his ’25/26 salary in order to give him a raise and then extend him off of that figure. This is a legitimate option, given that the Grizzlies are in position to potentially carve out a little cap room.
They could sign him to a super-max extension that starts anywhere between 30% and 35% of the cap. Although it’s typical for players who sign super-max deals to get the full 35%, a team doesn’t necessarily need to go that high — when Utah extended Rudy Gobert after he became super-max eligible with a Defensive Player of the Year win, for instance, his deal started at a little over 31% of the cap.

Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will also be eligible to sign a super-max contract extension this offseason — that would still be the case even if he doesn’t win this season’s MVP award or make an All-NBA team (he’ll almost certainly do both), since he achieved the performance criteria a year ago.

The Rose Rule and super-max performance criteria call for a player to earn All-NBA, MVP, or DPOY recognition in either the preceding season or in two of the three preceding seasons, so Gilgeous-Alexander got there by making All-NBA teams in 2023 and 2024, even though he wouldn’t have enough years of service to sign his new deal until 2025.

No other stars are in position to meet that two-in-three-years criteria early this spring, like Gilgeous-Alexander did last year.

A player like Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, for example, is on track to make his second straight All-NBA team, but won’t meet the years-of-service criteria for a super-max extension until 2027. That means that even if he earns an All-NBA spot this year, Edwards will have to do so again in either 2026 or 2027 to be eligible to sign that deal in ’27, since the 2024 nod won’t be counted within the preceding three seasons at that time.

We’re likely still a few weeks away from learning this year’s full All-NBA results. A year ago, the league announced those teams on May 22.

Heat’s Herro Fires Back At Cavs’ Garland After Jab About Defense

April 25th, 2025 at 7:36pm CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers made it fairly clear based on their offensive strategy in the first two games of their series vs. the Heat that they were targeting a perceived weak link on Miami’s defense. Asked about the Cavs’ game plan after Wednesday’s Game 2 victory, point guard Darius Garland confirmed as much, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required).

“Pick on Tyler Herro,” Garland said. “Don’t play in tight spaces and pick on their weak defenders. Go at them.”

According to NBA.com’s data, the Cavaliers have attempted 33 shots through two games with Herro as the primary defender, making 21 of them (63.6%). No other Heat player has a higher number of field goals against (in terms of both makes and attempts) in the series.

Herro and the Heat didn’t have a media session on Thursday, but when the team spoke to reporters on Friday, the All-Star guard knew he’d be asked about Garland’s comments and didn’t hold back his feelings about them.

“To go to the media to talk about the game plan and this and that says a lot about him. I’m not worried about Darius Garland,” Herro said, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. “Somebody that doesn’t play defense shouldn’t be talking, either. He don’t play any defense and we’ll see that tomorrow. He don’t play no D.”

To Herro’s point, Heat players have made 12-of-18 shots (66.7%) in the first two games of the series with Garland as their primary defender, per NBA.com.

As Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald writes, Herro downplayed the idea that Garland’s comments would further motivate him, telling reporters that he has “enough fuel in me” and doesn’t need any more from “that guy over there.” However, teammate Bam Adebayo, who came to his teammate’s defense, suggested Garland’s remarks would make for good bulletin-board material for the rest of the Heat.

“(He) cannot hide,” Adebayo said. “He said what he said. We all take that personal.”

Both Garland and Herro told Joe Vardon of The Athletic that they have a good relationship, but as Vardon writes, that doesn’t mean the trash talk between them isn’t real.

“I mean, I’m not f—ing around. I don’t think there’s anything to f— around about,” Herro told The Athletic on Friday. “But we had said some words to each other on the court and then looked like he was in his feelings to go to the media to say that after the game. I mean, that kind of says everything right there.”

As we relayed earlier on Friday, Garland is listed as questionable to play in Game 3 due to a left big toe sprain.

Injury Notes: Butler, Garland, Heat, Bucks

April 25th, 2025 at 6:38pm CST by Luke Adams

Warriors swingman Jimmy Butler has been listed as questionable to play on Saturday vs. Houston and was referred to by head coach Steve Kerr on Friday as “day-to-day,” according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Kerr isn’t ruling out the possibility of Butler suiting up for Game 3.

“I’m relatively optimistic,” Kerr said. “I mean, Jimmy is Jimmy. We know he’s willing to play through anything, so we’ll see. I mean, this is a day-to-day thing for sure, and we’ll see how he feels tomorrow, but I think there’s a chance he plays.”

Kerr noted Butler’s injury is “very similar” to the one Stephen Curry suffered in March, which cost the Warriors star two games.

“It’s a pain tolerance thing, that’s why he’s day-to-day,” Kerr added.

Butler isn’t the only Warrior whose status for Saturday’s contest is up in the air. Veteran guard Gary Payton II has been listed as questionable due to a right shoulder strain after averaging just under 14 minutes per night in the first two games of the series, Youngmisuk notes.

The good news for Golden State is that guard Brandin Podziemski isn’t listed on the injury report after being limited to 14 minutes in Game 2 due to an illness. Podziemski said he’s ready to go for Game 3.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland is listed as questionable to play in Game 3 vs. Miami on Saturday due to a big toe sprain on his left foot, tweets Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Garland has averaged 24.0 points and 7.0 assists per night in the first two games of the series, both Cleveland wins.
Heat big man Kevin Love (personal reasons) and guard Terry Rozier (left ankle sprain) will remain out for Game 3 on Saturday, but the rest of the roster is available, per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter links). Rozier was unable to practice on Friday due to his ankle injury, Winderman adds.
While neither player would have been in the rotation, the Bucks have ruled out Tyler Smith (left ankle sprain) and Chris Livingston (personal reasons) for Friday’s Game 3 vs. Indiana, the team announced (Twitter links).
In case you missed it, while Shams Charania reported that Grizzlies star Ja Morant would miss Game 4 on Saturday vs. Oklahoma City due to his hip injury, Memphis isn’t entirely closing the door on the possibility of Morant suiting up, having listed him as doubtful. His injury designation is a hip contusion.

Central Notes: Pistons, Mobley, Merrill, Rivers, Horst

April 24th, 2025 at 9:58pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Pistons‘ decision to focus on getting veteran players who fit around star Cade Cunningham and the rest of their young nucleus is a huge reason they’re fighting in the playoffs one year removed from being the worst team in the league, Jamal Collier of ESPN writes. Tobias Harris, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley have each made a major impact on the team’s massive turnaround.

“There’s a lot of talent here, kind of just need a few adults in the room,” Harris said of his decision to return to Detroit, where he played from 2016-18. “Guide these guys a little bit, and really boost their confidence up, boost the professionalism, morale of the whole team, and see where they could take us. I knew that coming in that this was going to be a breath of fresh air for me, but I’ve truly enjoyed it. It’s the most fun I’ve had playing basketball my whole career with this group and this team.”

New general manager Trajan Langdon thought it might take some time for the new-look Pistons to jell, but the top-six seed in the playoffs has been a nice surprise and the team is looking to capitalize now. Adding the veterans they did wasn’t just about their on-court fit, but also how they’d serve as leaders and mentors.

“The main thing was trying to put together some people around these young guys that could help them develop,” Langdon said. “It’s not only the on-the-court and between-the-lines that I thought was important, but also the character, the experience and the postseason experience.”

In a similar piece, Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports explores Detroit’s one-year turnaround. As Goodwill writes, Cunningham and Isaiah Stewart were among players whose confidence didn’t waver during a challenging season in 2023/24. The Pistons are down 2-1 in the series against New York after a close loss on Thursday, but they’re well prepared to be competitive now and in the future.

“I remember me and [Cunningham], just talking in that moment, and we’re just saying, ‘Tables are going to turn,’” Stewart said. “You know, that’s what me and him always said to each other, ‘Stay with it.’”

We have more from the Central Division:

Before being named this season’s Defensive Player of the Year, Cavaliers star Evan Mobley wasn’t allowing the potential financial boon of winning the award to distract him in the playoffs, Joe Vardon of The Athletic writes. “He’s got that something,” coach Kenny Atkinson said. “He’s desperate to be great.”
Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill is showing he’s not a one-dimensional player in the team’s first-round series against the Heat, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes. Merrill has been working hard to prove he’s not just a marksman and has a more well-rounded skill set, and Game 1 showcased his strides on the defensive end. He ended up playing more than Max Strus and De’Andre Hunter. “He doesn’t pass the eye test as a defender,” teammate Jarrett Allen said. “I mean, let’s just be honest. But every single play he’s out there, he’s fighting through screens and his one-on-one defense against Andrew Wiggins a couple of days ago was excellent. I think he’s realizing he can be a great shooter like he is already and an excellent defender as well. He’s starting to unlock that for himself.”
Bucks head coach Doc Rivers is excited that general manager Jon Horst earned himself a contract extension on Thursday, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “It’s awesome. It’s just awesome,” Rivers said. “It’s the news I’ve been waiting for, just very happy for him. He’s done an amazing job. We have an amazing relationship and it just creates stability. I’m just a big believer in stability in organizations. That’s how you build teams. Very happy for Jon and his family.” Rivers said the connection between the two sides is crucial in helping Milwaukee get back to competing for titles.

Cavaliers’ Evan Mobley Named 2024/25 Defensive Player Of The Year

April 24th, 2025 at 5:39pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley won the 2024/25 Defensive Player of the Year award, the NBA announced on Thursday (Twitter link).

Mobley is the first player in Cavaliers history to win the award. He averaged 18.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 0.9 steals this season.

“It definitely was a goal of mine coming into this year,” Mobley said, per Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor. “I put all the work in, so it’s a big day.”

As Fedor notes, Mobley ranked fifth in blocks and contested shots while placing second in field-goal percentage allowed. He was the only player in the league who appeared in at least 50 games while averaging more than 1.5 blocks and fewer than 2.0 fouls per game. The Cavs dropped 10 spots in defensive rating with Mobley off the floor.

The 6’11” big man beat out Hawks guard Dyson Daniels and Warriors forward Draymond Green for the award. Mobley received 35 first-place votes and 285 points in total, while Daniels was the runner-up with 25 first-place votes and 197 points.

Green (15 first-place votes; 154 points), Thunder wing Luguentz Dort (11 first-place votes; 109 points), and Rockets guard Amen Thompson (nine first-place votes; 93 points) rounded out the top five, with eight other players receiving votes, including two more – Clippers center Ivica Zubac and Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo – who received first-place nods.

Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama had been considered the heavy favorite for Defensive Player of the Year honors through the All-Star break, but was diagnosed with a blood clot that prevented him from reaching the 65-game minimum.

You can view the full DPOY voting results here.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (Twitter link), Mobley winning the award comes with significant financial implications. Mobley signed a five-year, maximum-salary rookie scale extension this past offseason that included Rose Rule language, meaning his new deal would start at up to 30% of the cap (instead of 25%) if he were to win Defensive Player of the Year or make an All-NBA team.

Because he’s the Defensive Player of the Year, Mobley’s total salary over the next five years is expected to increase by about $44.8MM, from $224.2MM to roughly $269.1MM, as our maximum-salary projections show. That now leaves the Cavaliers with $219MM in projected salary in 2025/26, putting them over the second apron, Marks observes.

Central Notes: Jerome, Schröder, Cunningham, Patton

April 22nd, 2025 at 5:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Ty Jerome, a Sixth Man of the Year award finalist, continues to pump up his value heading into unrestricted free agency. The Cavaliers guard poured in 28 points in 26 minutes during his first postseason game on Sunday.

“This is who Ty is. This is not a shock,” Donovan Mitchell said, per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. “I know everybody’s going to react like this is a shock that he’d been doing this for us all year.”

Jerome burst onto the scene after missing virtually all of last season due to an ankle injury.

“You get time to reflect on where you need to take the next step,” Jerome said, per The Athletic’s Joe Vardon. “Going into the offseason, your back’s kind of against the wall. You don’t play any games. I don’t really have a huge body of work in the NBA. And you kind of have one last shot, in a way, to make it right.”

We have more from the Central Division:

Dennis Schröder is proving to be one of the most valuable pickups at the trade deadline. Needing backcourt depth with Jaden Ivey sidelined, the Pistons traded for Schröder. The veteran point guard, who’s headed to free agency, delivered a 20-point performance in the Pistons’ Game 2 upset of the Knicks on Monday night. That included a clutch three-pointer to stave off New York’s late rally. “The ultimate trust,” Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff said of playing Schröder in crunch time, per The Athletic’s Hunter Patterson.
Cade Cunningham played up to his All-Star status with 33 points. The Pistons guard is eager to play postseason games in front of the home fans. He’ll get that opportunity in Game 3 on Thursday and Game 4 on Sunday. “It feels good representing the city like we did (Monday),” Cunningham told John Niyo of the Detroit News. “It’s something that the city’s been waiting on for a long time, so we feel good about it and we’re ready to get back to the crib. … It’s gonna be a lot of fun. I’m excited to see it.”
The Bulls didn’t pick up their option on Peter Patton‘s contract, letting their director of player development go after two seasons. That was an unpopular decision among the players, Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune confirms. Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis improved their shooting under Patton’s tutelage and publicly praised him. Patton didn’t hold back his opinions on how the team could improve on and off the court and that didn’t always sit well with members of the team’s brass, Poe notes. The Chicago Sun-Times previously reported that Patton’s exit left some players “beyond pissed.”

Stein/Fischer’s Latest: Kuminga, Suns, Jones, Williamson, Nowitzki

April 20th, 2025 at 9:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jonathan Kuminga‘s role in the playoffs will be closely watched around the league as he heads into restricted free agency, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line report (Substack link).

Kuminga never entered the game in the Warriors‘ play-in victory over Memphis on Tuesday. It’s expected that Kuminga will have at least a limited role in the first-round series against the Rockets as Golden State tries to combat Houston’s athleticism.

Coach Steve Kerr has stated publicly that the combination of Kuminga and Jimmy Butler at the forward spots hasn’t worked well due to spacing issues — both are subpar three-point shooters. The coaching staff had hoped that Kuminga might be further along in developing his play-making skills.

The front office and Kuminga couldn’t meet his asking price during rookie scale extension talks. He was seeking more than $30MM annually. The Nets are a potential suitor with enough cap space to give Kuminga a lucrative contract, but a sign-and-trade with another team could be a potential option this summer.

Here’s more from the latest Stein Line round-up from Stein and Fischer:

The Suns are unlikely to pursue another veteran coach after Frank Vogel and Mike Budenholzer lasted just one season apiece. However, Pelicans coach Willie Green is a potential candidate if new New Orleans president of basketball operations Joe Dumars doesn’t retain Green. Cavaliers associate head coach Johnnie Bryant, Rockets assistant coach Royal Ivey and Mavericks assistants Jared Dudley and Sean Sweeney could also be in the mix, Stein and Fischer confirm. Those names were all previously reported.
It’s not a certainty Suns top executive James Jones will hold onto his job. Owner Mat Ishbia could make a change in the front office before a new head coach is hired, Stein and Fischer note.
Dumars will take his time before deciding whether he’ll look to shop oft-injured franchise player Zion Williamson. There’s some skepticism around the NBA that the Pelicans will continue to ride with Williamson as their cornerstone piece.
The Pelicans‘ decision to hire Dumars a day after David Griffin was let go and the Kings’ same-day hiring of Scott Perry to replace Monte McNair have both faced scrutiny around the league, with sources wondering why the teams didn’t conduct more thorough searches, Stein and Fischer say. Dumars was also said to be high on Sacramento’s list.
Dirk Nowitzki has an office at the Mavericks‘ practice facility but he’s rarely there, which speaks to his distance from the Mavericks current ownership group and general manager Nico Harrison. Nowitzki was named a special advisor to former majority owner Mark Cuban, who no longer has much say in personnel decisions, including the blockbuster Luka Doncic deal.

NBA Announces Finalists For 2024/25 Awards

April 20th, 2025 at 6:22pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic are the three finalists for the league’s Most Valuable Player award this season, the league announced on Sunday (Twitter link).

While all three players put up monster numbers, Gilgeous-Alexander is generally considered the favorite to win the award due in large part to the Thunder’s team success this season. Oklahoma City won a league-high 68 regular season games, compared to 50 for Jokic’s Nuggets and 48 for Antetokounmpo’s Bucks.

The finalists for each award represent the top three vote-getters. The winners will be announced at a later date.

Here’s a rundown of the finalists for the major NBA awards voted on by media members:

Coach of the Year

Kenny Atkinson (Cavaliers)
J.B. Bickerstaff (Pistons)
Ime Udoka (Rockets)

Rookie of the Year

Stephon Castle (Spurs)
Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks)
Jaylen Wells (Grizzlies)

Sixth Man of the Year

Malik Beasley (Pistons)
Ty Jerome (Cavaliers)
Payton Pritchard (Celtics)

Defensive Player of the Year

Dyson Daniels (Hawks)
Draymond Green (Warriors)
Evan Mobley (Cavaliers)

Most Improved Player

Cade Cunningham (Pistons)
Dyson Daniels (Hawks)
Ivica Zubac (Clippers)

Clutch Player of the Year

Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)
Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)

Central Notes: Mitchell, Kuzma, Harris, White

April 20th, 2025 at 5:37pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Eastern Conference’s top seed begins its first-round series tonight, and Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell knows that in order to be looked upon as a one of the game’s biggest stars, he has to deliver in the playoffs, he tells Marc Spears of Andscape.

“It’s right there. The biggest thing that holds me back is winning. Talent-wise, I don’t think it’s even a discussion,” he said. “It’s more like, ‘Can I win at the highest level?’ That’s been the question for most of my career. So, for me, that’s why you can’t squander these opportunities because that’s what puts you there.

“I said it [last] summer on the Melo [Carmelo Anthony] podcast, ‘I can use it as fuel, but I can’t get mad.’ I’ve been to the conference finals. I can use it as fuel, but then you got to go out there and produce a win. To shut them [critics] up, you got to go out there and win. So that’s the main goal, and I will do it by any means necessary. It doesn’t mean I have to go out and score 40 points every night. I’ve got to make the guys around me better.”

We have more from the Central Division:

Bucks forward Kyle Kuzma was a no-show in Game 1 of the team’s series against the Pacers. He had no points, rebounds or assists in 22 minutes. Kuzma banged his thumb in the first quarter but wouldn’t make excuses. “Just understanding what I need to do, can’t wait for the ball, can’t wait for things to happen, kind of just gotta go get it, just find myself and get into actions on my own,” he said, per the Indianapolis Star’s Dustin Dopirak. “Rebound — definitely a stinker for sure. It’s a long series, it’s seven games and I’m excited to play because I understand a little bit of what I need to do to attack the next game.”
The Pistons gave up 21 unanswered points in the second half of their Game 1 loss to the Knicks. Forward Tobias Harris said the team needs to move on from that disappointment with Game 2 approaching on Monday night, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press writes. “It’s a series,” Harris said. “You can’t get too high, can’t get too low. Each team will make an adjustment, but overall it’s about mentally just staying locked into the moment and being ready for the next game, no matter what. I think for us, obviously for this group, guys having first time playoff experience it’s just understanding it stinks to lose but it’s about how you come back the next night.”
Bulls guard Coby White is entering the last year of his deal and will make $12.9MM next season. He’s eligible for an extension but would be foolish to sign one, according to the Chicago Sun-Times’ Joe Cowley. If he pursued an extension, White would be limited to a 40% raise on his current contract. He could potentially make a lot more by waiting until free agency next summer.

Kenny Atkinson Wins Coaches Association Award

April 19th, 2025 at 11:27am CST by Luke Adams

Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson has won the Michael H. Goldberg award for the 2024/25 season, earning Coach of the Year from the National Basketball Coaches Association, according to a press release.

This award, introduced in 2017 and named after longtime NBCA executive director Michael H. Goldberg, is voted on by the NBA’s 30 head coaches, none of whom can vote for himself.

It isn’t the NBA’s official Coach of the Year award, which is voted on by media members and is represented by the Red Auerbach Trophy. The winner of that award will be announced later this spring.

J.B. Bickerstaff (Pistons), Mark Daigneault (Thunder), Ime Udoka (Rockets), and – interestingly – Michael Malone (Nuggets) also received votes from their fellow coaches for this year’s NBCA award. Malone was let go by Denver earlier this month.

Atkinson was hired by the Cavaliers last June and was tasked with turning the team into a legitimate title contender following a 48-win season and a second-round playoff exit. Despite the fact that Cleveland’s roster didn’t undergo any major changes last summer, the team had one of the best years in franchise history, racking up 64 wins and holding the No. 1 spot in the Eastern Conference for nearly the entire season.

After the Cavs placed 16th in the NBA with a 114.7 offensive rating in 2023/24, Atkinson helped turn the unit into the league’s top-ranked offense in ’24/25 — Cleveland’s 121.0 offensive rating led the league by a comfortable margin. The club also ranked eighth in defensive rating (111.8) and third in overall net rating (+9.2).

The NBCA Coach of the Year award has frequently been a bellwether for the NBA’s Coach of the Year honor, which bodes well for Atkinson. In six of the eight years since the award’s inception, the winner has gone on to be named the NBA’s Coach of the Year, including in 2024 when Daigneault won both awards.