After their loss in game five against the Boston Celtics the Cleveland Cavaliers have been at the top of all trade rumor talk. They have multiple key players being sought after. Cleveland could take a major shot at acquiring a star.
However, one of the players being talked about is their leader Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell was unable to play in two of they Cavs key games against Boston which is probably one of the biggest reasons they went home. Now, Mitchell and the Cavs have a decision to make. Does Spida stay in Cleveland, or is it time to get a fresh start somewhere else?
Donovan Mitchell’s Impact on Cleveland Cavaliers
After a long run with the Utah Jazz, Mitchell made his way to The Land to try and bring them their first championship since LeBron James in 2016. From 2017-2018, the Cavaliers managed to get themselves into the Finals. However, from 2019-2022 they missed the playoffs completely. It was clear that the Cavs needed to be revamped.
Donovan Mitchell found his way to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2022-2023 season. He immediately made an impact. The shooting guard averaged 28.3 points per game, 4.4 assists per game, and 4.3 rebounds per game. He also got them to first round of the playoffs where they fell to the New York Knicks. In the 23-24 season he averaged a solid 26.6 points per game and led them all the way to the Semi-Finals before being bested by Boston.
It is clear that Mitchell makes this Cavs team better. He was a major part of the rebuilding being done after the four season playoff droubt. There is a good chance that the Cleveland Cavaliers could’ve at least taken more than one game against Boston if Spida wasn’t injured. However, with him on the bench the team struggled in key moments.
Why The Cavs Should Keep Spida
Donovan Mitchell is a great ball handler who can perform well under pressure. If the Cavs were to cut him loose they would have to rely on Darius Garland to be a leader with the ball. The issue here is that Garland sometimes doesn’t know what to do in tough situations. He can be seen dribbling around in circles through the paint trying to find an opening for a layup that isn’t always there.
Don’t get me wrong, Darius Garland is a fantastic player. He showed up big in game four with 30 points and his other games before that were decent. However, he put up just 11 points in the most important game of the series. This shows why Donovan Mitchell is so needed on this roster
There is no question that the Cleveland Cavaliers should keep Mitchell and look at some other trade options to try and build around him. They need to give the star a little more time to take them to the Finals before searching elsewhere. However, the big question is whether Mitchell wants to stay with the team.
Not Ending on a Bad Note
The media has been pushing a narrative that Donovan Mitchell isn’t happy in Cleveland. There have been may reports all stating the same thing. However, Mitchell himself decided to speak out against these rumors. According to Adrian Wojnarowski Spida stated:
I am happy in Cleveland. I am not leaving this season unhappy, I am leaving it more determined.
Now, he could be pulling a Kyrie Irving Boston Celtics speech because no one wants to tell a fanbase that they’re leaving before any deals are done. Mitchell could easily hop to another roster as there are many teams that would love to have him. However, he could just as easily sign an extension with the Cavs and try for another playoffs run with a better ending.
The Cleveland Cavaliers guard has the chance to sign a maximum contract of five years at around $270 million which would be a fantastic deal for the star. However, if the Cavs don’t offer this contract we could see Spida start to look elsewhere. For now, we can only take him for his word: I am happy in Cleveland.
About the Author
Elizabeth is an avid watcher of all things sports. However, the Boston sports teams will always be her number one. Her favorite sport to watch is basketball, but she also enjoys professional wrestling, soccer, and baseball. You can find her on X @edellapiana1 to check out more content.
Check out all the great content Total Apex Sports has to offer. Check us out on X @TotalApexSports and our other sites: Total Apex Sports Bets and Total Apex Fantasy Sports.
