The Cleveland Cavaliers have struggled to meet expectations early in the 2026-27 NBA season, and Kenny Atkinson is facing growing pressure from frustrated fans. However, NBA insider Kevin O’Connor believes replacing the head coach will not fix the team’s biggest problems, pointing instead to the construction of Cleveland’s roster.

Kevin O’Connor Explains Why Kenny Atkinson’s Coaching Isn’t the Only Problem in Cleveland

The Cavaliers entered the season with a talented core featuring Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. But after losing to the Charlotte Hornets 124-112 on Monday, they fell to 5-6, leaving them seventh in the Eastern Conference.

Some fans have called for Atkinson to be fired, but O’Connor believes the roster itself is holding the team back.

“I don’t think Cleveland is going to keep Kenny Atkinson all year long. I don’t think the coaching is necessarily the problem. It’s a problem, but not the problem,” O’Connor said in a video he shared on X.

He then explained why he believes the core is not working, describing Mitchell and Harden as an “imperfect backcourt” and Mobley and Allen as an “imperfect frontcourt.”

The concerns around the backcourt start with Harden. The former MVP is averaging 15.3 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.8 rebounds through 11 games, while shooting just 36.4% from the field.

O’Connor also highlighted that Harden has been missing regularly from close range.

“James Harden looks old. It’s just the reality of it now,” O’Connor said, adding that the guard was getting close to having “fallen off the cliff.”

Mitchell, meanwhile, is averaging 22.8 points per game, but his scoring has fluctuated. He had 37 against the New York Knicks on November 7 before managing only 11 against Charlotte.

With both guards needing the ball to create offense, finding the right balance between them has become an important challenge.

O’Connor also questioned the Mobley-Allen pairing. Mobley is averaging 17.5 points and 7.5 rebounds, but the Yahoo Sports writer believes his early 3-point shooting does not address his biggest weakness, which is creating shots off the dribble.

The frustration has also been visible on the court. During Cleveland’s November 4 loss to Oklahoma City, Harden appeared to exchange words with Atkinson after committing a turnover. The Cavaliers were trailing by 22 points at the time. While the exchange does not prove a serious rift, it added to the questions surrounding the team’s chemistry.

Atkinson has faced a similar situation before. The Brooklyn Nets mutually agreed to part ways with Atkinson in March 2020, eight months after acquiring Kevin Durant in a sign-and-trade and signing Kyrie Irving in July 2019.

General manager Sean Marks said it was time for another “voice in the locker room,” while explicitly saying the decision had nothing to do with Durant, Irving or any other player.

O’Connor believes Cleveland could eventually make a coaching change, but he does not expect it to solve the underlying issues. “This Cleveland team just feels fundamentally flawed to me with the top four,” he said. “I think the roster is the problem.”

With Harden struggling, the backcourt still searching for balance, and the frontcourt facing questions about fit, Cleveland may need more than a new voice on the sidelines to turn its season around.