Entering Monday’s game versus the Charlotte Hornets, the Cleveland Cavaliers owned just the 12th-best odds to win the NBA title at 40-1.

After witnessing the Hornets - playing without arguably both of their best players, Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel - completely dismantle the Cavs, those odds seem generous.

No doubt, integrating several new pieces into the rotation will take time. But the Cavaliers simply have too much talent to look this sloppy and lifeless.

The disinterested style of basketball being played to start the season is clearly a systemic issue, but if we're looking for someone to blame, four names stand out.

Kenny Atkinson

At some point, the responsibility falls on the head coach to make the pieces fit, and Kenny Atkinson hasn’t consistently found the right formula. When Atkinson replaced J.B. Bickerstaff ahead of the 2024-25 season, there was hope and expectation that he’d be the guy to take this team to the next level.

With any new head coaching hire comes an expectation of steady improvement, but that’s a difficult standard to maintain when your first season produces 64 wins and the second-best record in the league.

Two years later, the Cavs appear to have the same questions about toughness and the same playoff shortcomings they had under Bickerstaff.

Now, they risk posting a worse record for the second straight season since Atkinson’s arrival. Cleveland seems to be heading in the wrong direction, and while the coach isn’t solely responsible, he certainly has a role in that decline.

Cleveland is down by 30 to the Charlotte Hornets in the third quarter.

It doesn't matter what number game it is on the schedule. Kenny Atkinson needs to make a statement or risk being the statement himself.

— Ethan Sands (@EjElite1) November 10, 2026

James Harden

Harden was supposed to elevate Cleveland's offense, but so far his arrival has raised just as many questions about fit as it has answers. The uber-iso guard has naturally defaulted to his stagnant and dribble-heavy tendencies, but when the shots aren’t falling, it proves to be a completely worthless brand of basketball.

Shall we comment on James Harden's defense while we're at it (or lack thereof)? I've seen guys exert more energy on defense at the local YMCA than Harden displays on an NBA floor. There’s trying to look like you care and then there’s whatever Harden is doing walking around the court on a nightly basis.

He looks old, washed up and like a big Koby Altman mistake. Hopefully, the rest of the squad is not following in his footsteps by mailing it in on defense as well.

James Harden. Yikes. pic.twitter.com/Z08ZE2EQIg

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) November 10, 2026

Evan Mobley

“Mobley was supposed to take the next step toward superstardom this season, but his inconsistent aggressiveness has left the Cavaliers still waiting for that leap.”

Sound familiar? That’s because a similar statement has been made about the soft-spoken forward just about every year since he was selected 3rd overall in the 2021 NBA Draft.

No doubt, some irresponsible comparisons have been tossed around since Mobley joined the Cavs, including names like Kevin Garnett and Kevin Durant. Evan is neither of these Hall-of-Famers, but he is a former Defensive Player of the Year with an evolving outside shot.

That can be a lethal combo if Mobley learns to be more consistent. It’s been five years, however, and we’re still waiting.

If the outside shot continues to improve, Evan will be able to pair a more dangerous offensive skill set with his already smothering defense. It's the vision the Cavs brass had when they resisted trading the seven-footer and instead labeled him part of the "Core Four" of the future.

His raw skill set and athleticism were simply too enticing to move, as he was destined to continue to ascend. With five years of pro ball under his belt, the time for that ascension is now.

Donovan Mitchell

Regardless of who's coaching or running the offense, Mitchell is still the face of this franchise, and the Cavaliers need him to set a more consistent tone. When the offense looks like it’s stuck in mud, it is Mitchell’s responsibility to force the issue and drag it out.

He’s shown he’s capable of this role in the past, but currently seems overly passive to start the season.

We all know the 30-year-old guard is not LeBron James, and nobody is asking him to be. But when your favorite band starts putting out garbage, you have no choice but to place some blame on the lead singer.

“When you get drilled like that, in the NBA, the way this goes is the coach gets fired. It just happens.”

“We're all talking about James Harden's effort. Are you watching Donovan Mitchell's effort? It's very come and go.”

➡️ @SportsBoyTony & @KenCarman question Kenny Atkinson's… pic.twitter.com/7lyS3h4FLZ

— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) November 10, 2026