00:00the man who is entering his third season as head coach of the Cavaliers looking to take that next
00:04step this year Mr. Kenny Atkinson joining us Kenny good to have you with us hey coach I love it
00:10next
00:10step you know you got to improve on last year right that's what what this is about so thanks
00:15for having me uh having me on today guys before we get to the to the real stuff okay you
00:21you played
00:22internationally you played in Spain yep how many arms did you have to twist to get a vacation in
00:28Spain at this time of the year listen I was not fighting it when they said we're going to Malaga
00:33for for training camp I was I was all over it I think it's going to be cool great uh
00:39you know
00:39obviously a great country great part of the country right Malaga it's beautiful down Marbella area
00:45um and then you know great great chance of bond with the group right we're going to go to go
00:50there
00:50we're going to work our tails off but we'll also bond and and and connect which is uh you know
00:56which
00:56is part of you know you know building a um a team another step forward last year when you take
01:03a look
01:03at the big picture what uh what's the biggest thing you learned last year that you're taking into this
01:08season I think that we're mentally tougher um we we got mentally stronger obviously winning those two
01:14game sevens you know those were high pressure high stakes games um and then obviously um you know
01:21getting swept in in the conference finals that was um that left a really bad taste in our mouth
01:28and you know we have to improve we have to get better uh we want to get back to that
01:32you know to
01:33that to those conference finals and and and play a lot better and give us give us a chance to
01:38go to
01:38the finals I think you know um I think internally those those are my expectations the players expectations
01:44so um you know great challenge with the east getting getting so much better this year
01:49Kenny Atkinson joining as Cavs head coach Kenny from the outside the starting five looks obvious
01:55Mitchell, Harden, Watson, Mobley, Allen is it obvious? No no it's not obvious I I I I said I think
02:02one of
02:03our pillars right is competition and some of that is you know that that that internal competition right
02:08so um you know we obviously know there's some spots that are that are probably taken right
02:14um but there's you know there's probably a spot that that's it's open and it's it's it's going to
02:20be fair competition um we've obviously added um you know some some talent on the wing and but we also
02:27have some some incumbents that are that have been pretty good too for us so uh we'll see it it
02:32always
02:33reveals itself um it'll it'll play out and we'll get to the best place but I always like
02:38to say it's the old coaching adage it's not who starts it's who finishes you know that's that's
02:44that's always a tough decision for me who finishes a game who closes it out um how difficult is it
02:50when you bring in a major name or a major player in the middle of a season and you're trying
02:55to you
02:55got one thing going another way and then all of a sudden you have to pivot I think as a
02:59head coach to
03:00to to work it how how difficult you know when you when James Harden came in last year and then
03:05you know what did you learn about that that can make you better this season yeah I was uh I
03:11was
03:11nervous about that adaptation you know um especially we play a little differently especially
03:17offensively with all the cutting and movement you know James is used to playing probably in a more
03:22you know more static situation more more more play sets and and spread pick and roll and and uh
03:29I just you know it's no credit to me or our coaching staff the way he adapted with you know
03:36very little practice time um very little um you know real game reps uh it really um it shows what
03:45a high IQ player he is um now fast forward to having having an off season with him and uh
03:52having these
03:52last couple of weeks trying to prepare prepare for training camp um I just expect it to be an improved
03:59product um especially on the offensive end Kenny Atkinson joining us Cavaliers head coach Kenny I
04:05I think you've got a challenging job this year but it's nice to have the talent to work with but
04:11you had
04:12seven guys who averaged 12 or more points a game last year and who played 25 minutes a game or
04:17more
04:17last year Peyton Watson doing it with with Denver obviously and then you have other guys you you want
04:23to play Mario Hazonia you know he he can add things to you how do you keep everybody happy in
04:29a
04:29situation like that we we asked Brandon Williams and he goes hey that's up to Kenny
04:34well you know right off the bat I do you know I like to play a lot of players especially
04:38in the beginning
04:39we you know we started out playing 10 last year and I do think that's a that's a trend of
04:43the league I think
04:44you're seeing teams go deeper um you know even guys like Tyrese Proctor and Aekwon Tomlin you know
04:51both those guys played 500 plus minutes last year so it's going to be a squeeze um they're going to
04:57be hard decisions to make you could argue we got uh you know 14 rotation players on our team
05:02I got to cut that to 10 and then you got to figure out who's finishing and I'll just give
05:08you a heads up
05:08there's a guy named Malik Thomas that's not going to make you know the rookie we have I mean you
05:12saw the
05:13summer league he had he had and he's been absolutely phenomenal in open gym so it's like
05:19man where does he fit right um and then Proctor's gotten stronger and obviously gives us a defensive
05:25piece so um it's a good problem to have uh but I always says I always say it works itself
05:30out it'll
05:31reveal itself um you know who the top 10 are by the time we start the season what are your
05:37thoughts
05:37on Peyton Watson and and when you know they made the deal I mean not easy doing a five-team
05:42trade
05:42and then he ends up coming here just you know your thoughts on how he'll fit into this thing and
05:47and you know what how it's going to play out yeah I mean you know first and foremost he's he's
05:53we need
05:54that um we need we need that guy that's going to guard the other team's best player um night in
06:00night out night out you know we lost we lost Dean obviously um who who took on that role role
06:06most
06:06nights so um Peyton's got to take on that role but I also see a room for growth with him
06:13offensively
06:14um I think uh in our system he's going to be a really good cutter um you know the off
06:21ball movement
06:21we have is going to help him and then I want to see him crash the boards I want to
06:26see him uh get
06:27extra possessions for us so um he's 24 years old um there's a lot of potential there a lot of
06:33growth
06:33opportunity um you know a guy like that he gives you it gives you a higher upside um and uh
06:40obviously
06:40he's got to got to prove it when the big games come but um really excited about the addition
06:47Kenny Atkinson joining us Kenny Evan Mobley is heading into his sixth year which seems kind of
06:51hard to believe wow in his two years with you he's averaged his career best 18 points and nine
06:58rebounds a game but but folks always look at him and think number three pick blah blah blah blah blah
07:03is there more there for Evan and in your situation does there need to be more there from Evan or
07:10do
07:10you have enough that that you can spread the wealth no there's more there um you know he he he
07:17had
07:17kind of a little bit of an up and down season last year regular season um picked it up after
07:23the all
07:24star break and then I don't know if you guys agree but arguably our best player in the first two
07:29rounds
07:29of the of the playoffs um but listen the year before that he was defensive player of the year and
07:35an all
07:36star so um he's he's got to get back to that and that's where we want him um obviously um
07:44winning
07:44winning winning helps and us getting off to a good start is a big part of it but there is
07:49no doubt
07:50there's another level for this guy um and and I think he's on the right trajectory right like he's
07:55not he's not 30 right now he's not Donovan's age he's not in his his prime he's still a young
08:00player
08:00growing so um love his trajectory I think you're going to see even thing you're going to see even
08:07better things from him this year Kenny with with so many guys who are capable of scoring big and you
08:12know you mentioned Donovan he's he's in his prime he's he's a beast James can score like crazy
08:18do they have to do that I I wonder with so many other guys that you have can you see
08:24adjusted roles
08:25for some guys this year and how easy would that be as a coach to sell to guys if you
08:30want to try and
08:30do that yeah I I do think um and I think you you know we saw this in the playoffs
08:36like you just can't
08:37have two playmakers or or three playmakers I think the way the league has uh shifted um you
08:44know you saw it with the Knicks they they were putting you know putting squads out there you
08:48know lineups out there with five playmakers uh obviously everyone's got to play their role
08:52obviously Donovan and and and Evan and James are going to have a a big hand in in in in
08:59you know
08:59their usage rates um but I think I think we need to expand a little and and and you know
09:06Payton's got
09:06to be a little more of a playmaker Jalen Tyson's got to be a playmaker um you know they they
09:11lock in
09:12so much uh in the playoffs on your best players um and I thought we were lacking that last year
09:18a
09:18little bit um you know our role players got to be able to be able to make plays especially in
09:22the big
09:23games Kenny last question for me I was just a fun one I was just you know what's uh what's
09:27the best
09:27part about living in Cleveland and I mean you're a Clevelander now you've been here long enough
09:31you got your Cleveland passport so you're good to go you're in you're in Kenny well I'm in
09:35what's what is it what's the what's the the time frame on that uh well as long as you can
09:40determine the east side from the west side by the river you know you're good you're like oh that's
09:44west side that's east side you know what I love man this is such a great sports city um I
09:51mean I'm
09:51I'm you know yesterday probably like every other Clevelander I'm watching the Browns game like
09:56on the edge of my couch right and I'm not from here like that's when you know you've graduated
10:02yeah um you know to to be you know and and and and then I follow the guardians and then
10:08I'm watching
10:09there for you know them doing it again and and uh um and last I I just I just love
10:15walking around
10:16around Cleveland like everyone calls me coach like hey coach like that's so cool I like you know
10:22there's it's almost like uh around here there's a respect for the coaching um coaching whatever
10:29industry uh you know there's like hey coach I love that I think sometimes when you're in like
10:35the big cities and big markets like hey Kenny hey Kenny you know no Cleveland's coach we respect you
10:41um you know and I love I love I love the banter right I always stop and talk to a
10:46supermarket
10:47I'm out whatever like like people always want to talk Cavs basketball I love it love living here
10:53well enjoy Spain and best of luck I'll be thinking about you guys when it's 85 and
10:59uh thanks you know as long as it's not snowing here that's next week I think you're okay thank
11:06you very much hey best of luck this season congratulations on last year's great run
11:10and uh best of luck this year and your family too all right thanks guys Kenny Atkinson
11:16you
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