Cavs’ Kenny Atkinson safe despite speculation

There are at least some quiet rumbles making the rounds about coach Kenny Atkinson and his job security with the Cavaliers.

Nothing loud. Nothing imminent. But enough to be noticed.

In his latest Substack, NBA insider Marc Stein writes that “coaching circles” have taken note of the Cavaliers’ recent slide and uneven play, with Cleveland sitting at 15-14 after dropping eight of its last 11 games.

That’s a far cry from the expectations that followed last season’s East-best record.

Layer on top of that a recent report that team owner Dan Gilbert has been “very unhappy” with how things have gone, and it’s fair to understand why some around the league are at least asking questions.

That said, any talk of an imminent move appears premature.

A source tells Stein that Gilbert’s frustration is unlikely to lead to a quick trigger being pulled. Gilbert was one of Atkinson’s strongest advocates during the hiring process, favoring him over James Borrego, who now finds himself running things on an interim basis in New Orleans.

Bottom line? The noise is there. The patience likely still is, too. But the Cavs need to steady things soon, or this noise is only gonna grow louder.