Head coach Kenny Atkinson believes that they’ve laid the foundation for Hunter to have a breakout season.
Media day is full of hope and optimism. There’s always a player or two who receive what seems like hyperbolic praise. Last year, it was Ty Jerome before his breakout campaign. This season, Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson has narrowed in on one player who’s seemingly stood out from the rest.
“I’ll just say right off the top, De’Andre Hunter, you could argue, he’s been the best player this offseason,” Atkinson said on Tuesday. “He’s had an incredible offseason.”
Every team could use an athletic 6’8” wing that shoots over 40% from three while also providing scoring off the dribble. Those skills have been on display this summer.
“Just watching him out here in the offseason, I’m just sitting next to these guys (Cleveland’s front office), I’m like, ‘This guy is so talented,’” Atkinson said. “He’s got great size, shoots the heck out of the ball. He can get you a bucket in different areas.”
Those skills were apparent last season as well when the Cavs acquired him at the trade deadline from the Atlanta Hawks. The issue was figuring out how to best use his abilities with a team that already had other high-usage players and lineup synergy.
“De’Andre joined us when we were in the middle of a 14-game winning streak, which is hard,” president of basketball operations Koby Altman said. “We were rolling. He wanted to come and fit in. He didn’t want to detract. We were getting to know him. We didn’t realize how multifaceted he is offensively, and so he’s trying to fit in, space to the corner, [would get] a few plays run for him, but us realizing how much more he has to elevate this group on both sides of the ball.”
Atkinson wants to make sure they can put Hunter in a position to succeed and be his best self this upcoming season. That process started with getting to know Hunter better as a player and a person during the offseason.
“What I really tried to do [this summer] is build a relationship,” Atkinson said. “I didn’t get to do that last year. You have regrets when you look back on the season [and say], ‘I could’ve done a better job there.’ This summer, I thought that was really important.
“Through those conversations, through building that relationship, we talked about what that’s going to look like tactically. Where are we going to get you the ball? Where do you like the ball? ‘Do you like it here?’ ‘I like this action.’”
Both Atkinson and Altman stated that they believe in the team’s philosophy from last season. There’s no reason to fix what isn’t broken. At the same time, there’s areas on both ends of the floor that the team can improve on. Some of those changes are motivated by better utilizing Hunter.
“We’re definetely making tweaks [to the offense],” Atkinson acknowledged. “Some of that is geared towards him, to put him in a better position. … Statistically, he had an incredible year, but I know there’s more in there.”
Hunter’s skill set made him the fourth overall pick in 2019. Even though he’s had a successful career thus far, it has always seemed like he has the potential to be even better than he is. Things didn’t appear to ever truly click for him during his five and a half seasons in Atlanta.
It’d be easy to say that this is just the type of player Hunter is. He’s going into his age-28 season. Players don’t typically take massive leaps at this point in their careers. But at the same time, there’s much more that goes into individual success besides just raw talent.
It can be easy to forget the human element when evaluating players. Each guy is more than just a collection of skills and traits. There’s a person who needs to be put in the right position to be their best self.
Atkinson seems to get this part better than most. Being an NBA coach is more about building relationships than it is about X’s and O’s. That latter is important, but the best strategies don’t accomplish much if you can’t connect with your players on a human level as well. That is what this summer has been about for Atkinson.
The Cavs are optimistic that the results follow for Hunter.
“That’s part of our job,” Atkinson said. “How do you create that relationship depending on the player’s personality? He’s someone you really got to build his trust. that’s probably the most important thing I’ve seen from him and that takes time.
“I’m not saying we’re there yet. I think this is an ongoing process, but I feel really good. We’ve made a big job.”
Category: General Sports
