Adding Donovan Mitchell, a dynamic and skilled basketball player, was an unexpected and bold move for the Cleveland Cavaliers. For them, now it is all about getting back into the title hunt on the basketball court. Their inclusion in the NBA last season came as the most pleasant surprise. However, this surprise was short-lived because they suffered several injuries during the basketball season.
How LeBron James Departure Impacted the Cavs?
With the departure of LeBron James to the Los Angeles Lakers, everything did not work well for the Cavs. They received the second-worst cumulative record in the three seasons. But during the 2021-2022 season, everything changed for Cleveland Cavaliers. They started performing very well and delivered the best performances. They earned the third-best record in the Eastern Conference’s All-Star break.
Reason For Lackluster Performance by the Cavs
The Cavs lost interest because of stagnant offense. Their performance deteriorated because of the absence of Ricky Rubio and Collin Sexton. They both sustained knee injuries at the end of the season. Under the NBA’s conventional postseason structure, Cleveland would have entered the playoffs regardless. But Atlanta Hawks further killed their hopes by eliminating them. As a result, they did not proceed to the play-in round.
Inclusion of New Stars
The Cavs already possessed two young All-Stars in Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland. They also added a 7-footer rookie in the previous year, Evan Mobley. Cleveland might wish to sit back and let its good core grow into the 2022-2023 season and beyond. But they did not have any anticipations. Rather, the Cavs, late in the summer, recognized an opportunity. They also included a fourth star and pushed their chips to the middle of the table to get it done. They acquired Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz. In return, they exchanged unprotected first-round selections in 2025, 2027, and 2029. Also, they picked swaps in 2026 and 2028. Cleveland added Sexton, Ochai Agbaji (who they recently chose at No. 14 overall in the 2022 round), and Lauri Markkanen to round off the trade.
For every player, the price is high, as compared to the one who did not participate in making an All-NBA squad. It is a transaction that instantly puts the Cavs under pressure to compete soon. But at the same time, it also limits their future assets to enhance the team’s foundation. It’s also completely worthwhile. The Cavs can now make a strong claim by having NBA’s best “big four.”
With Mitchell’s contract, the current and next two seasons may benefit the Cavs. But at the same time, labeling the Cavs may prove a bit risky. This is because, since 1998, without the inclusion of LeBron, a franchise has not gone to the playoffs. Cleveland’s impressive talent base now competes at the league’s highest levels. But for that, everything must fall into place.