Donovan Mitchell Has Cavaliers Fans Thinking Big

The NBA dubbed it the summer of Donovan Mitchell.

As soon as Mitchell voiced his discontent with the Utah Jazz, speculation began to spread. His potential trade destinations included the Miami Heat and New York Knicks, with the Knicks being the frontrunners due to their surplus of draft picks and Mitchell’s hometown connection.

Suddenly, a surprise team joined the negotiations as the Cleveland Cavaliers swooped in at the last minute to secure the deal. They acquired Mitchell by trading forward Lauri Markkanen, rookie Ochai Agbaji, guard Collin Sexton, along with three unprotected first-round picks and two pick swaps.

It was definitely the most significant trade of the offseason.

Cavs President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman stated that acquiring Donovan Mitchell was an amazing opportunity to bring a talented and dynamic young All-Star to Cleveland. At just 25 years old, Mitchell is already a proven talent with a competitive mentality that meshes well with the team’s core group.

The Cavs now boast a group of four up-and-coming players who are emerging as stars. Joining forces with three-time NBA All-Star Mitchell are Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. Despite being seen as a rebuilding project in the past, the Cavs won 44 games last season.

They are now considered contenders. Following the Mitchell trade, their championship odds improved from +12000 to +3500. The Cavaliers have been eliminated in the play-in tournament for the last two seasons.

The city of Cleveland hasn’t seen this level of excitement for a team since LeBron James made his return in 2014. James led the Cavs to a championship in his second season back, and the expectations are just as high following the Mitchell signing.

The Cavs posted two hype videos on their Facebook page to introduce their latest star. The first video was called “All Eyes on the Land,” and the second was titled “Welcome to Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell.”

Altman expressed his excitement about Donovan’s skills and the positive impact he can bring to the Cavaliers with his scoring ability and playmaking skills. He also extended a warm welcome to Donovan and his family to Northeast Ohio.

The Cavaliers boast one of the most youthful and skilled cores in the league. Mitchell is 26, while Allen (24), Garland (22), and Mobley (21) are all very young. Allen and Garland were both All-Stars last season, and Mobley, the No. 3 pick in the 2021 draft, made the first-team All-Rookie selection after averaging 15 points and 8.3 rebounds in his rookie year.

Mobley is seen as the most talented player in the group, suggesting that Mitchell may now play a supporting role after being the primary player in Utah for several years. It is rare for a team to have Mitchell as their second option, highlighting the depth of talent on the Cavaliers’ roster.

According to ESPN NBA analyst Brian Windhorst, this may be a potential outcome.

Windhorst stated on ESPN’s NBA Today that this vote of confidence in Donovan Mitchell highlights his impact as a game-changer. It also reflects the belief in 21-year-old Evan Mobley’s potential, as he enters his second season, suggesting that pairing Mitchell with Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen could create a championship-caliber team.

The main question is how quickly the Cavs can gel as a team. They don’t have the same star power as the 2010 Miami Heat, who had LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade. That team, with three of the league’s top 10 players, made it to the Finals in their first year together and won two championships in four consecutive trips.

Vince Carter, a retired NBA player, emphasized the importance of building chemistry among a group of young players with scoring abilities. This will be the primary challenge throughout the season.

Carter questioned whether the talented players on the team would be willing to make sacrifices and work together effectively. He expressed doubt about whether they would be able to buy into their roles and play as they did towards the end of the season. Carter believes that if they can come together and play as a cohesive unit, they have the potential to make some noise in the postseason.

The Cleveland Cavaliers face tough competition in the Eastern Conference this season. The Miami Heat, who were last year’s No. 1 seed, have retained their entire team, with rising stars like guard Tyler Herro and center Bam Adebayo supporting veteran forward Jimmy Butler. The Boston Celtics, determined to bounce back after losing to the Golden State Warriors last season, have added guard Malcolm Brogdon to their talented roster, which already includes Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart.

The Philadelphia 76ers made significant improvements in the offseason by acquiring P.J. Tucker and Montrezl Harrell, two players who will support Joel Embiid and James Harden. Meanwhile, the defending champions Milwaukee Bucks will have a fully recovered Khris Middleton back in the lineup after a knee injury sidelined him for most of last postseason. Middleton’s return, alongside superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, makes the Bucks a formidable contender for the championship once again.

The addition of the Cavs has added an extra layer of intrigue to the Eastern Conference race. It will be fascinating to see how their Big Four matches up against the established teams in the conference. Are they contenders? It’s still too early to tell.

The key factor will be how quickly they can work together and set aside their egos when training camp begins later this month.

They will be entertaining to watch this season.