The Cleveland Cavaliers may have grabbed a win over the Los Angeles Lakers the other night, but it wasn’t just the scoreboard that got people talking. What was supposed to be a homecoming celebration for LeBron James - potentially his last game in Cleveland - turned into a headline-grabbing moment for an entirely different reason.
After the game, Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell was asked about LeBron’s legacy in the city. But before Mitchell could even get into it, rookie Jaylon Tyson jumped in with a bold declaration: “This is Donovan Mitchell’s city now.
When [Mitchell] comes back here, we’re gonna make sure everyone roots for him like they did for [LeBron]. This is his stuff.
This is his city.”
Now, that’s not exactly a throwaway comment - especially in a city where LeBron’s name is basically etched into the concrete. Tyson’s words lit up social media and talk shows, and it didn’t take long for NBA voices to weigh in.
One of the loudest? Draymond Green.
On his podcast, Green made it clear he wasn’t buying the “Mitchell’s city” talk - at least not yet. “Cleveland is more Kyrie Irving’s city than it is Donovan Mitchell’s city,” Green said.
“Iman Shumpert’s city, Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith, Richard Jefferson, Channing Frye.
It’s actually more of those guys’ city until these guys win a championship.”
And he’s not wrong. That 2016 Cavaliers squad didn’t just win a title - they delivered Cleveland’s first NBA championship, and they did it by dethroning Green’s own Golden State Warriors in one of the most unforgettable Finals in league history.
"Cleveland is more Kyrie Irving... Tristan Thompson's city than Donovan Mitchell's city." Draymond Green weighs in on Jaylon Tyson's post-game comments! 🏆 👀 pic.twitter.com/nWJBs0Y92c
— The Draymond Green Show (@DraymondShow) January 30, 2026
That kind of legacy doesn’t fade quickly. Those names - Kyrie, JR, RJ, Shump, and Frye - still resonate in Cleveland because they helped lift the city to the basketball mountaintop.
And until someone else does the same, they’ll continue to hold that place.
Green even offered Mitchell a bit of advice, saying the only misstep was not shutting down the comment in the moment. “No disrespect to Donovan Mitchell,” Green said.
“I think the only thing Donovan Mitchell did wrong was not stop the kid when he said it. Say ‘Hey, no sir.
Not quite. But young fella, keep playing the way you’re playing and help us get there, then we can say that.’
Until then, can’t quite say that.”
It’s a fair point - and one that speaks to how championships shape legacies. Mitchell has been electric since arriving in Cleveland.
He’s made the Cavs relevant again, brought playoff basketball back to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, and given the franchise a legitimate star to build around. But in a city that still reveres the 2016 title like a sacred memory, “city status” is earned, not handed out.
Mitchell’s journey in Cleveland is still unfolding. If he can lead this team deep into the playoffs - or better yet, deliver another banner - then maybe one day, someone like Jaylon Tyson won’t sound so premature in saying this is Mitchell’s city.
But until then, the echoes of 2016 still ring loud. And in Cleveland, those echoes carry weight.