5 months ago
- Cavaliers
- Published: Dec. 31, 2025, 6:00 a.m.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — In nan latest section of nan Wine and Gold Talk podcast, cleveland.com Cavs hit newsman Chris Fedor and big Ethan Sands delved into 1 of nan astir important coaching decisions of Cleveland’s play truthful far: nan benching of seasoned defender Lonzo Ball successful favour of rising talent Craig Porter Jr.
Cavs caput coach Kenny Atkinson framed nan determination arsenic multi-layered, pinch nan schedule providing nan first introduction point.
The Cavaliers are successful nan mediate of a grind-heavy agelong pinch nary back-to-backs but games each different time done Jan. 18 — nan first clip they’ll person 2 consecutive disconnected days earlier a matchup pinch Oklahoma City.
In Atkinson’s view, that reality creates opportunities to manufacture remainder successful unconventional ways, moreover if those nights don’t show up connected an wounded report.
Coming disconnected 2 bruising, beingness games against Houston and New York, Atkinson believed Monday successful San Antonio made consciousness arsenic 1 of those moments. Sitting Lonzo Ball wasn’t astir a general remainder nickname arsenic overmuch arsenic recognizing nan cumulative toll of nan schedule and uncovering pockets to negociate it, thing Atkinson has been intentional astir each season.
Still, that mentation only accounts for portion of nan determination — and not nan driving unit down it.
“I deliberation nan higher tier is that Lonzo conscionable was underperforming and that everybody could spot it and that we’re astatine a constituent successful nan play wherever numbers aren’t arsenic noisy arsenic they erstwhile were and numbers are much informative,” Fedor explained connected nan podcast. “And I deliberation Kenny understands nan benignant of effect that Craig Porter Jr. has had compared to Lonzo is conscionable different, and everybody tin spot it.”
The chat highlighted really this determination represents a delicate balancing enactment for Atkinson.
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On 1 hand, Ball was specifically acquired via waste and acquisition to lend to this team. On nan other, Porter has undeniably outplayed him, creating an organizational dilemma astir prioritizing capacity complete status.
What makes this business peculiarly fascinating is really it reflects nan Cavaliers’ broader organizational philosophy.
As Fedor pointed out, Atkinson has been accordant successful his connection to young players for illustration Porter and Jaylon Tyson: execute well, and you’ll beryllium rewarded pinch opportunity.
“Well, if you person these guys that are doing them and doing them to a higher level and you don’t reward them, that is simply a very, very bad look, and that ruins relationships, and that tin create immoderate benignant of problems down nan scenes,” Fedor stated emphatically.
The podcast speech went beyond conscionable nan capacity metrics to research really this determination impacts squad chemistry.
Fedor emphasized that unfastened connection becomes important successful these scenarios: “The measurement that you benignant of massage nan business is you person unfastened ended communication, you show Lonzo why you’re doing what you’re doing, you explicate to him beforehand what’s going connected and you dream that he understands it.”
What’s peculiarly absorbing is really nan podcast frames this determination arsenic portion of a larger playoff-readiness evaluation.
The Cavs aren’t conscionable concerned pinch regular play wins — they’re focused connected which players tin lend erstwhile nan games matter astir successful April, May, and perchance June.
Porter’s effect was instantly felt successful nan crippled against San Antonio that followed this rotation change.
As Sands noted successful nan podcast, Porter’s “ability to, moreover if he doesn’t get an violative board, to either deter nan shot handler astatine nan constituent of onslaught arsenic soon arsenic they drawback nan rebound aliases simply return nan shot from them arsenic they effort to get it retired of their hands is thing that not a batch of players successful nan NBA are tin of.”
While matchups and situations whitethorn still dictate immoderate rotation flexibility, nan podcast made clear that Porter has earned his opportunity done accordant impact.
As Fedor concluded, “This type of Lonzo connected this hoops squad nether these circumstances, has not been arsenic consistently impactful arsenic Craig Porter Jr ... At immoderate point, you conscionable can’t disregard those things, right? At immoderate point, you person to travel nan grounds wherever it leads you, moreover if it’s not wherever you thought it was going to lead you to.”
Here’s nan podcast for this week:
This article was produced pinch assistance from AI devices and reviewed by Cleveland.com staff.
