Why Cavs’ Kenny Atkinson Grades Suns’ Jordan Ott Turnaround ‘A+’

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson had to ensure his team was ready for Jordan Ott and Phoenix Suns on New Year’s Eve. If the wine and gold had not been prepared, the visitors would have taken it from them. The The Cavs heeded that warning and ended up winning by double figures, but that result doesn’t diminish the level of respect Atkinson has for his longtime assistant.

“Listen, he’s doing a hell of a job,” Atkinson said before Wednesday’s meeting. “I mean, to me, the Suns are the toughest team in the league right now. They play harder than anybody. That’s what I see. I’m not in the game, but it jumps off the page. So that’s a real credit to him.

“They’ve got two guys that lead it, right? You’ve got (Dillon) Brooks and (Devin) Booker. Those guys are known. They play hard on both ends. So you’ve got your head coach, your two leaders who play extremely hard, and then everybody else just follows. And that’s how they’ve been able to turn it around. I think that was the first Jordan goal. We’re going to be the most competitive team in the league and I’d give them an A+ for that because it certainly looks like it.

Atkinson and Otto’s relationship dates back to 2013, when they worked together with the Atlanta Hawks. Although with different levels of experience and responsibility, both were on Mike Budenholzer’s bench through 2016, including a franchise-high 60-win season in 2014-15.

Ott followed Atkinson to the Brooklyn Nets after that period, officially landing his first assistant position. Even after Atkinson’s departure in March 2020, he remained in Brooklyn through the 2021-22 campaign.

After a two-year stint with the Los Angeles Lakers and a pit stop with the Cavs in 2024-25, Ott landed his first NBA coaching job in Phoenix. Atkinson felt he was ready for his team “probably last year”.

“I felt like he took a bigger step, took on a bigger role with us,” Atkinson said. “I think I’ve stepped back a lot and kind of let him and the other guys on the bench do more and I’ve just seen the confidence grow, but he’s been my right-hand man and has been for a while. So I’m not surprised by the success he’s had.”

Ott said he “wouldn’t be here right now” without Atkinson’s mentorship. Last season, he noticed Atkinson getting his assistants more involved and delegating responsibilities more than he had in the past, a key takeaway Ott took to Phoenix. There’s also a fundamental understanding that it’s about the players, the style of the league and adapting to trends.

“He’s my guy,” Cavs All-Star forward Evan Mobley added. “He was with me all last year and taught me a lot. And I know he does a great job there, so it was fun playing against him. He’s just good at reading the game and showing you the opportunities you can have in certain aspects of the game, whether it’s a drop (coverage) or a pick-and-roll, and just playing from it.”

Despite injuries this season, Ott’s Suns are 19-14 with a top-10 offensegarnering consistent efforts from those on the floor every night.

“I know his work ethic is now known in the West,” Atkinson said. “That guy lives in the arena, lives in the office, trumps everything. He’s an incredible, incredible worker. Those Pennsylvania roots, man, he’s on it. He’s on everything.”