Donovan Mitchell has already checked off plenty of boxes in Cleveland. Since arriving in 2022, he’s given the Cavaliers the kind of star power they needed after LeBron James - the All-Star nods, the All-NBA recognition, the big scoring nights, all of it. Just as important, he’s handled the role like a pro and a leader, something that showed up clearly last season when Cleveland’s year could have veered off course and Mitchell helped keep things steady.
Now the next step is less about adding flash and more about sharpening the part of his game that can unlock the whole roster.
Mitchell has changed a lot since he first got to Cleveland. He’s gone from a poor defender to an average one.
He’s not attacking the rim as often, in part to keep his body fresh for the playoffs. He’s become a three-level scorer who can hurt teams in a bunch of different ways, and he leans on his floater more than he used to.
The area that still needs the biggest push is his playmaking.
Mitchell has improved as a passer, but the playoffs still expose the gap. Too often, he can get tunnel vision when the stakes rise.
There have been flashes of him embracing the role of creator for others, but Cleveland needs more than flashes. Over the last two playoff runs, he’s averaged three assists per game.
And with only 35 passes per game on that kind of usage, that number just isn’t enough.
That matters because Mitchell getting better there would ripple through the entire team, especially Evan Mobley. Mobley’s leap is central to what Cleveland can become, and it will go a long way in defining the team’s ceiling as a title contender. It also matters for Mitchell’s own future, since having a versatile co-star like Mobley beside him would help extend the prime of his career as he gets older.
None of this is a knock on what Mitchell already is. He’s been elite in Cleveland.
He’s changed his game, embraced the leadership mantle, and given the Cavaliers exactly what they hoped for. But if this team is going to reach its ceiling, Mitchell has to keep evolving - and the next evolution is clear.
In Other News...
Cavs Pipeline Added A Guard Worth Watching Closely
The Cavaliers development pipeline picked up another intriguing backcourt piece this week when the Cleveland Charge landed guard Kadary Richmond in a four-team trade that also sent Malaki Branham to the Osceola Magic. Richmond has already gotten a small taste of the NBA this season with the Washington Wizards, but most of his work came with the Capital City Go-Go, where he showed a well-rounded game as a lead guard and kept himself on the radar.
For Cleveland, the move is about more than just adding depth. Richmond gives the Charge another guard worth evaluating in a system that has become an important part of the organizations bigger picture, and the deal also brought back a 2027 first-round G-League draft pick. The real question now is how quickly Richmond can carve out a role and turn a fresh opportunity into something that matters for the Cavs long-term guard inventory. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Broadcast News Leaves One Franchise Voice In Question
The Cavaliers new multi-year broadcast agreement with DAZN brings a fresh look to how fans will follow the team, and the club made sure to identify the on-air personalities set to be part of the arrangement. It is a notable shift for a franchise that has long treated its television and game-day voices as part of the teams identity, especially with a familiar cast expected to carry the new setup forward.
Austin Carrs name, though, was absent from the announcement, leaving one of the most recognizable figures in Cavaliers broadcast history in an uncertain spot. Carr has been a longtime franchise voice, and with no official statement clarifying any change, his role in the new era remains unresolved for now. [Read more 🡒]
Former Cavs Big Man Is Getting One More NBA Chance
The 76ers have brought Tacko Fall back into the NBA mix ahead of the new season, giving the towering center another chance to stick at the highest level. Fall spent the 2021-22 season with the Cavaliers, and since then he has continued his career overseas while waiting for another door to open in the league.
At 7-foot-6, Fall remains one of the most recognizable big men in basketball, with his size and shot-blocking still the traits that keep him in the conversation. Philadelphia is now the latest team willing to take a look, and for a player who has bounced between opportunities, the challenge is the same as ever: turn a fresh signing into a roster spot. [Read more 🡒]