Not so long ago, fans were urging Koby Altman and the Cleveland Cavaliers to blow things up.
They didn’t think that Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley could coexist.
They claimed that it would be a spacing issue because of their lack of perimeter offense.
Things weren’t much different in the backcourt.
There were rumors about Darius Garland requesting a trade if they signed Donovan Mitchell to a contract extension.
Given their defensive limitations and need to have the ball in their hands, there were doubts about whether they could thrive together.
Altman, however, stayed committed to his vision.
That’s why Jimmy Watkins of Cleveland.com believes that he deserves to win Executive of the Year, not because of the moves he made, but because of the ones he didn’t make:
“Perhaps no ‘roster’ move has changed the league’s championship picture more than hiring Kenny Atkinson, who has unlocked Mobley, re-energized Garland and galvanized belief in Cleveland’s Core Four. Altman saw the best in his blueprint even after losing quickly to Boston last summer. Atkinson executed his vision. Patience paid off,” Watkins wrote.
Even so, make no mistake, the few moves this team made were crucial.
While doubling down on this core seemed risky at first, he made sure to assess their needs and attend to them midway through the season.
Trading for De’Andre Hunter might be the difference between a second-round exit and actually going the distance and winning the whole thing.
He did so while also managing to get under the salary cap and without giving up any of the team’s top players.
They’ve now added Javonte Green and Chuma Okeke to add more physicality ahead of the postseason.
This team has proven that patience is often rewarded, and perhaps other teams around the league can learn a thing or two from this approach.
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