How do NBA experts grade the Cavs in Donovan Mitchell trade?
How do NBA experts grade Cavs in Mitchell trade? Everywhere else
Let’s leap around some of the less prominent websites to find some other grades for the Cavs and their acquisition of Donovan Mitchell.
King James Gospel – Josh Cornelissen: B+
Yours truly broke down the trade from all angles, ultimately landing on a B+ grade. The two main concerns are Mitchell leaving in free agency in a few years, as has been mentioned before, and the historic difficulty of winning big with two small guards. Yet this was clearly a good deal for the Cavs, raising their ceiling and floor, and it’s absolutely possible (if still unlikely) that everything comes together and this team becomes “a dynasty.”
FanSided – Josh Wilson: A
Over at the main FanSided site, Josh Wilson broke down the deal in the immediate aftermath. He loved the Cavs’ patience in negotiating and finding a deal that allowed them to keep their core pieces together. He calls the Cavs a “sure-thing” as a competitor and points to other potential moves that could put them over the top. Overall? Wilson writes: “Great deal for the Cavs, instantly injecting their roster with what they need to move forward and consolidating youth power for a star that can get them wins right away.”
Hoops Habit – Dylan Carter: B+
Our sister site Hoops Habit had its own grades for the trade, and newly-installed site expert Dylan Carter landed on a B+ for the Cavs. Carter is concerned that the Cavs have drained their war chest of picks and non-star prospects, because the difficulty of Cleveland as a market will limit their ability to keep the back-end stocked with reliable players. He also shares some of my own hesitancy with the small-small backcourt. That being said, he is largely positive and thinks this is “a good trade for the Cavaliers.”
Factory of Sadness – Chad Porto: Positive
Our final analyst is Chad Porto over at Factory of Sadness. He didn’t give a specific grade for the trade, but he was effusive in his praise of the deal. He spoke for most of Cavs nation in expressing his shock at the deal. He did mention he would have preferred including Caris LeVert instead of Lauri Markkanen, an opinion I agree with, and that finding a way to get back another of Utah’s veterans would have been nice too. Yet ultimately Porto writes that the Cavs “fleeced” the Jazz in the deal and got the better of Jazz executive Danny Ainge.
Next. 3 reasons Donovan Mitchell trade is a slam dunk for the Cavs. dark
There are certainly reasons to be concerned about the draft capital given up and the fit of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland defensively, but the positives are overwhelming. The Cavs made a great trade to add a young star on their timetable, and the next few seasons at the very least are going to be incredibly fun to watch. 4/5 experts agree!