Despite speculation from around the NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers are reportedly unwilling to trade their star, Donovan Mitchell. Per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the team has not even considered a trade package for the All-Star shooting guard. The Cavaliers are currently 16-12 and sixth place in the Eastern Conference. They are also dealing with a plethora of injuries right now as Darius Garland and Evan Mobley have missed extended time and Ricky Rubio has not played all year long. However, stranger things have happened in the league and the Cavaliers could still receive calls centered around Donovan Mitchell.
Cleveland Cavaliers Not Considering Trading Donovan Mitchell Despite Speculation From Around the League
Donovan Mitchell’s Impact
One can see why Mitchell is garnering interest even if he is not on the trade block. This season alone, the star shooting guard is averaging 27.7 points, 5.6 total rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. On top of this, the four-time All-Star is also averaging an effective field goal percent of 52.6 percent, an offensive rating of 117, and a true shooting percentage of 57.9 percent. While there are rumors swirling about Mitchell’s status with the Cavaliers, one cannot deny that he is still putting up All-Star numbers this season.
For his career, he has tallied numbers of 24.7 points, 4.2 total rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. The Cavaliers star also possesses a career player efficiency rating of 22.0. He also has a career box plus/minus rating of 5.5. Donovan Mitchell is still considered a top-five shooting guard in today’s NBA. If the Cleveland Cavaliers do decide to move on from Mitchell, there will be a hefty market for the one-time All-NBA Team member’s services.
Speculation Around the All-Star Shooting Guard
There have been plenty of rumors about Donovan Mitchell eventually joining the New York Knicks. Even before being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Mitchell has said himself he expected to be dealt to New York. Remember, the former Louisville product grew up in the New York area. As a result, another team who could be in the mix if Mitchell were made available is the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets would be a good alternative for Donovan Mitchell if a trade to the New York Knicks does not come to fruition. Another team who will most likely be involved in the Mitchell sweepstakes is the Miami Heat.
The Heat continue to search for a third star to team up with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. The Heat would most likely have to give up Tyler Herro. However, when a star like Donovan Mitchell is on the table, there are certain sacrifices that need to be made. All in all, Donovan Mitchell is still one of the best players in the NBA to this day. One cannot fault other NBA teams for showing interest given the trade rumors that have come about in the past few weeks. Not to mention, the Cleveland Cavaliers would risk losing Donovan Mitchell for nothing in free agency once his contract is up in 2025 when he will become an unrestricted free agent.
