In September, the Utah Jazz traded Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the New York Knicks were among the teams interested. After the Cavaliers’ 92-81 loss to the Knicks on Sunday, Mitchell was asked if he would be good enough to play against Cleveland.
“I think it’s more to play in front of my family and friends,” Mitchell said. “What’s done is done, and I’m happy as hell where I am. At the end of the day, this decision was made, and I don’t think I’ve been happier since I entered the league.”
According to a few NBA betting sites, Donovan Mitchell has the 11th best odds to win the MVP in 2023. Some sportsbooks are showing high odds for Devin Booker and Jay Morant.
Donovan Mitchell had no more excitement or enthusiasm to play tonight at MSG than the off-again trade talks before he was traded to Cleveland this summer: pic.twitter.com/PgSaeQGIY1
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) December 5, 2022
“But I think it’s always going to be a motivation to go back to my hometown and play well, but you can say that about anybody,” Donovan Mitchell added. But it’s over with what happened this summer, it happened and I’m happy to be with the Knights.
Additionally, to acquire the three-time All-Star, the Cavs acquired Ochai Agbagi, Lauri Markkan, Collin Sexton, a 2025 first-round draft pick, a 2026 first-round draft pick, a 2027 first-round draft pick, a 2028 first. -round draft pick, and a 2029 first round draft pick for the Jazz.
Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell is excited to play in Cleveland and compete for a championship.
Through 22 starts this season, Mitchell is averaging a career-high 28.4 points and 36.5 minutes per game. Additionally, he is averaging 3.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.4 steals per contest.
On October 28, in Cleveland’s 132-123 win over the Boston Celtics, the sixth-year player scored a season-high 41 points in 46 minutes of action. He finished 15-of-25 (60%) from the field and 5-9 (55.6%) from beyond the arc.
Additionally, Donovan Mitchell is shooting 48.8% from the floor and 42.1% from three-point range this season. He is posting a career-best 23.6 player efficiency rating. And Mitchell is averaging a career-high true shooting percentage of 62.9 percent.
“This is not a shot at my folks in Utah. But I’m having fun again.”
– Donovan Mitchell pic.twitter.com/vOhh8J2pUo
— Cavaliers Nation (@WeAreCavsNation) December 3, 2022
After all, based on his postgame interviews, the Louisville product wants to compete for a championship. He is also in the right group. Cleveland has the eighth-best odds to win the championship this season.
Last season, in the guard’s first 22 starts with the Jazz, Donovan Mitchell averaged 24.2 points, 4.1 boards, 5.1 assists and 1.7 steals. So far, the 26-year-old looks like the best player in the Eastern Conference.
Likewise, the Cavaliers guard is one of the top-15 candidates to win the MVP. Of course, Mitchell leads Cleveland in scoring. This season, Darius Garland is averaging 22.2 points per game, while Evan Mobley is third on the team with 15 ppg.
As of Monday, the Knights are 15-9 and in third place in the East. Sunday’s loss at New York snapped their two-game winning streak. It was an ugly loss for Cleveland, considering the Knicks’ own five-game losing streak at home.
