Donovan Mitchell has built his reputation as a bucket-getter, the kind of scorer who can blow past a defender, rise into deep jumpers, and rescue a possession when Cleveland’s offense starts to stall. That part of his game is already established. The more interesting possibility is what happens if the Cavaliers lean into something bigger: Mitchell as the engine, not just the finisher.
This isn’t really about turning him into a classic point guard. It’s about Cleveland finding a way to make him its full-time offensive organizer. The idea has already surfaced in stretches over the years, most notably early last season when injuries hit the roster hard and the Cavs needed more from him than pure scoring.
The appeal is obvious. Put Mitchell higher on the floor, give him shooters and players who move well without the ball - and Cleveland has those pieces - and his gravity starts warping the defense for everyone else. Instead of deciding whether to help on a drive or stay home on a shooter, defenders have to react to Mitchell before the play even fully develops.
He’s never lacked the ability to make the straightforward pass. The bigger question is whether the Cavaliers can keep putting him in spots where he creates the advantage in the first place.
The numbers show why the conversation matters. Over the last two seasons, Mitchell averaged 24.0 points and five assists, then 27.9 points and five assists. His best blend of scoring and playmaking came in 2023-24, when he put up 26.6 points and 6.1 assists per game.
What Cleveland really needs from that role, though, isn’t a giant assist total. It’s a player who can read the floor early, force the defense to tilt, and do it before the shot clock starts to become a problem.
That could matter even more if the Cavaliers keep mixing and matching lineups. Different combinations of ball-handlers, wings and bigs could show which groups let Mitchell act as both scorer and creator without taking away the thing that makes him so dangerous in the first place.
The relevant numbers would go beyond scoring and assists. Cleveland would want to see his assist-to-turnover rate, his pick-and-roll efficiency, and how the offense looks when he’s the primary initiator. That’s where the real test would live.
The scariest version of Mitchell may not be the one who scores 35. It may be the one who makes four teammates better and still has 35 waiting whenever he wants it. That wouldn’t be a position change.
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Cavaliers May Have Found The Wing Help This Roster Needed
The Cavaliers have added another name to the mix on the wing, signing Mario Hezonja to a one-year minimum deal as he looks to make his way back into the NBA after several seasons in Europe. It is a low-risk move, but one that fits neatly into a roster that has been searching for more size, energy and versatility on the perimeter.
Early exhibition play has already given Cleveland something to watch, with Hezonja showing a stronger frame and more burst than he had in his previous NBA run. If that carries over, he could push for a meaningful role and perhaps give the bench a different look than Dean Wade did as a reserve, which would be welcome depth for a team trying to fortify its wings before the season gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Donovan Mitchell Just Weighed In On James Hardens Cavs Debate
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For Cleveland, the bigger picture is that Hardens return comes at a moment when the conversation around him is still loaded with expectations. He recently agreed to a contract extension after being traded from the LA Clippers, keeping his next chapter tied to a team that now has both a high-profile veteran and a former teammate willing to defend his reputation. Whether the outside discourse changes is another matter, but inside the organization, Mitchell made it clear he sees far more in Harden than the missing championship line. [Read more 🡒]
Tyrese Proctor Just Made Clevelands Guard Battle A Lot More Real
Tyrese Proctor has made the kind of offseason progress that tends to change how a coaching staff views the back end of a rotation. After getting feedback from Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson, Proctor leaned into strength training and showed notable physical improvement, a step forward that fits the organizations emphasis on durability and defensive reliability. He has also taken advantage of the chance to learn from Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, which adds a little more intrigue to a camp competition that already had a few moving parts.
Now the guard battle is looking a lot more crowded, with Proctor pushing to join Craig Porter Jr. and Meleek Thomas in the mix for backup minutes. The Cavaliers still appear to be sorting through what they want most from that spot, especially on the defensive end, so there is no clean answer yet. But Proctors growth has made this more than a placeholder competition, and that is exactly the kind of development that can linger deep into the preseason. [Read more 🡒]