6 Cavaliers on Thin Ice After Kenny Atkinson's Hiring

The Cleveland Cavaliers officially have the organization's new head coach, hiring current Golden State Warriors assistant and former Brooklyn Nets coach Kenny Atkinson to lead the franchise.

On the heels of news that Cleveland is 'confident' in its ability to re-sign star guard Donovan Mitchell, it's been an eventful Monday morning for Cavaliers fans. After falling short in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals to Boston, Cleveland brass knows it needs to make upgrades to this roster to truly compete for an NBA championship.

With the 2024 NBA Draft getting underway on Wednesday, we could see significant changes to the roster over the next couple of weeks. Let's take a look at six Cavaliers who could be on their way out following Atkinson's hiring.

6 Cleveland Cavaliers on Thin Ice

1. Darius Garland - PG

Legitimate questions persist about the long-term fit between two relatively undersized guards in Darius Garland and Mitchell. Reports indicate Garland prefers to be traded if Mitchell is indeed re-signed, so it looks like the former No. 5 overall pick could soon find himself with a new team.

Garland still has four years left on his five-year, nearly $200 million extension, representing Cleveland's best trade chip aside from rising star Evan Mobley, who is not at risk of being moved.

Despite his playoff struggles, Garland is still only 24 years old. He's averaged 18.4 points and 6.7 assists per game for his career, making him perhaps the best pure point guard on the market this offseason. Atkinson's hiring is obviously important, but what happens with Garland remains the most significant storyline moving forward for the organization.

An All-Star in the 2021-22 season, Garland averaged 21.7 points, 8.6 assists and 1.3 steals that year. Injuries and a questionable fit with Mitchell zapped some of his efficiency, though it's easy to imagine Garland regaining that form as the unquestioned backcourt leader of a new team.

If the Cavaliers want to make a true splash and rebuild the roster around Mitchell and Mobley, trading Garland is the easiest path. At the very least, I expect Cleveland to be active in seeking out trade packages centered around an exciting guard still a couple of years away from his athletic prime.