Donovan Mitchell is back for his third season in Cleveland more determined than ever. The Cavs' rear seems to be flourishing within a franchise on the upward slope, led by young players with high potential like Darius Garland, Isaac Okoro, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, all under contract for several seasons.
Beyond the traditional speech about the city, its warm welcome, and the quality of the fans, “Spida” notably expressed its desire to continue to advance this hard core by taking it as high as possible. This is also one of the reasons which prompted him to extend this summer, to the tune of 150 million dollars over three years with an additional year as an option.
“After the defeat against Boston in the playoffs last season, yes, we had injuries and lots of elements that we could have seen as excuses. But that wasn't the state of mind in the locker room. “, he told Andscape. “It was more like, we're going to come back and we're going to do it again. And that meant a lot to me because that's what I believe deep down. So to be able to stay with my guys on this team for a while, that excites me. We have a lot to prove and I still have a lot to do.”
The many facets of the leadership role
With his talent and experience, it will still be up to him to assume the role of leader, with its multiple missions and responsibilities. Score certainly, but also ensure that the rest of the team follows, and that the relationship with the new coach, Kenny Atkinson, will be taken as an example.
“Sometimes that means going out on the field and scoring. Other times it's to make sure everyone is involved. That's it most of the time I would say. That's also what it means to be number 1.” he added. “You have to understand, whether we go far or not, that all of this will be placed on my shoulders, that I know it and that I accept it. I feel like that’s what I’ve been doing most of my career. We must ensure that we continue to be the same leader through voice in the locker room, be a leader by example, and also be a leader by agreeing to be “coachable”. That’s the most important thing.”
This pressure and this responsibility are also his daily source of motivation, which encourages him to surpass himself to maximize the chances on his side when the time comes.
“To be honest, I wouldn’t have it any other way. That's why I work the way I do, to allow myself to put this level of pressure on myself. (…). This is part of what comes with this “contract”. That was my central point. This is what is expected of you, and there is no escape. I think it was Kobe who said that when you signed this contract with yourself, there is no negotiation possible. That's how it is. So, yes, it’s true, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
The Cavaliers haven't proven anything yet
In the end, for him, there is no doubt that the Cavaliers are title candidates. “We are title contenders when we are healthy. I feel like last year we made progress in a lot of areas. We played in different ways. During this period, DG [Darius Garland] and Evan [Mobley] were injured. But we found something that can really help us take it to the next level. Now it's about continuing to implement this style of play over 82 matches and the last 16 playoff victories. But development is one of the reasons why I decided to sign, because I believe in our development. I believe in the hunger and drive we have as a group. For us, we are serious title contenders when we are healthy. But at the end of the day, I can tell you that we have to go out there and continue to prove it every day. We didn't do anything. We only played one more game than two years ago. Now it's about finding ways to keep winning, building, building and moving forward. And we haven't accomplished what we needed to accomplish. We have done a lot, but we still have a lot to do.
| Donovan Mitchell | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2017-18 | UTH | 79 | 33 | 43.7 | 34.0 | 80.5 | 0.7 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 2.7 | 1.5 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 20.5 |
| 2018-19 | UTH | 77 | 34 | 43.2 | 36.2 | 80.6 | 0.8 | 3.3 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 2.7 | 1.4 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 23.8 |
| 2019-20 | UTH | 69 | 34 | 44.9 | 36.6 | 86.3 | 0.8 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 2.7 | 0.2 | 24.0 |
| 2020-21 | UTH | 53 | 33 | 43.8 | 38.6 | 84.5 | 0.9 | 3.5 | 4.4 | 5.2 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 26.4 |
| 2021-22 | UTH | 67 | 34 | 44.8 | 35.5 | 85.3 | 0.8 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 5.3 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 25.9 |
| 2022-23 | KEY | 68 | 36 | 48.4 | 38.6 | 86.7 | 0.9 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 28.3 |
| 2023-24 | KEY | 55 | 35 | 46.2 | 36.8 | 86.5 | 0.8 | 4.3 | 5.1 | 6.1 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 26.6 |
| Total | 468 | 34 | 45.0 | 36.6 | 84.3 | 0.8 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 24.8 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
