Jan 25, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) talks to head coach Kenny Atkinson in the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images

'We Have What We Need to Compete' – Cleveland Cavaliers Coach Believes That the Team is Ready to Win a Championship

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Jordan Samar | Last updated Sep 24, 2025 10:47 AM ET

Kenny Atkinson recently spoke to reporters during the Cleveland Cavaliers’ media day, reiterating his belief that his team is ready to win the NBA championship as soon as this year, despite their premature playoff exit last season.

“I like our toughness. I like our makeup. I like our identity. I love our leadership,” Atkinson stated. “From my perspective, we have what we need to compete for this championship from a character makeup.”

“I’ve seen that (overreaction) happen, where you go, ‘Man, we lost to this, we’ve got to change everything,’ and then that can end up hurting you,” he continued. “But it really starts with our best players, and that’s what good coaches do. I think they plan your system and your identity around your best players, and I feel like we’re in a really good place.”

Nov 8, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson reacts in the first quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images

In his first full season as Cleveland Cavaliers head coach, Atkinson won 64 regular season games to take the top seed in the Eastern Conference. However, after sweeping the Miami Heat in the first round, they lost to the Indiana Pacers in five games during the second round.

Cleveland Cavaliers bolster frontcourt depth with latest free agent signing

The Cleveland Cavaliers recently signed free agent center Thomas Bryant to a one-year contract, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Bryant joins a frontcourt that includes starters Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, and backups Larry Nance Jr., Dean Wade, and Nae’Qwan Tomlin.

Dec 19, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) shoots the ball against Indiana Pacers center Thomas Bryant (3) during the first quarter at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Bryant was a key member of the Indiana Pacers last season, serving as Myles Turner’s backup. The former 42nd overall pick averaged 6.9 points and 3.9 rebounds on 51.5 percent shooting from the field across 56 regular season appearances for Indiana.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are Bryant’s sixth NBA team in eight years. One of his notable achievements is winning the NBA championship with the Denver Nuggets in 2023.