The Cleveland Cavaliers may have walked away with a big win over the Lakers the other night, but the real fireworks came after the final buzzer. What was billed as potentially LeBron James’ final game in his hometown quickly turned into a moment that had everyone talking - and not just about the King.
After the game, Donovan Mitchell was fielding questions about LeBron’s legacy in Cleveland - a legacy that, let’s be honest, is as monumental as it gets. But before Mitchell could even get into it, rookie Jaylon Tyson jumped in with a bold proclamation: “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.”
Let’s just say that statement didn’t exactly go unnoticed.
The comment caught fans off guard, and judging by Mitchell’s reaction, it may have caught him off guard too. Tyson’s confidence is admirable - you want your young players to have swagger - but claiming Cleveland as Mitchell’s city over LeBron? That’s a tough sell, even on a good day.
And now, a few days later, the ripple effect is still going. Draymond Green, never one to shy away from a mic, weighed in on his podcast with a strong rebuttal - and some perspective only a guy who’s gone toe-to-toe with Cleveland’s championship core can offer.
“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, because those guys can always walk in that arena and look up and say, ‘That’s us.’”
That’s not just talk. That’s coming from someone who was on the other side of that historic 2016 Finals - the one where the Cavs erased a 3-1 deficit against Draymond’s Warriors and brought Cleveland its first NBA title.
That championship didn’t just belong to LeBron. It belonged to the entire roster that helped make it happen.
And in a city that waited decades for a title, those names still carry serious weight.
Green made it clear he wasn’t trying to disrespect Mitchell - he even praised the All-Star guard - but he did call out the moment for what it was. In his eyes, Mitchell missed an opportunity to step in and pump the brakes on Tyson’s comment.
Green suggested Mitchell could’ve said something like, “Not quite yet, young fella. Let’s keep working.”
And honestly? That’s fair.
Mitchell has been phenomenal since arriving in Cleveland. He’s the face of the franchise right now, no doubt about it.
But in a city where the bar was set by a championship parade down East 9th Street, being “the guy” means more than just putting up big numbers. It means delivering when it counts most - in June.
Until then, the city still belongs to the group that got it done. The Kyries, the J.R.s, the Shumperts.
"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
The guys who bled for that title. Mitchell’s journey in Cleveland is still being written, and if he can lead this squad deep into the playoffs - maybe even back to the Finals - then the conversation starts to shift.
But for now? The crown still rests with the ones who brought it home.