Donovan Mitchell is fresh off putting up the second-highest scoring average of his career. He dropped 27.9 points per game, just shy of the 28.3 points a night he averaged in his first year with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
However, he did score the most total points in a single season (1,952) last year, and he should be in the midst of his physical prime as he enters his tenth year in the league. That doesn't mean he's looking at better numbers next season.
As much as he could be in the mix to win the Scoring Title every season, that may not be in the team's best interests. In fact, the fans should brace themselves for a significant drop in his production, and that's actually fine.
The Cavs must take pressure off Donovan Mitchell's shoulders
Time and time again, Mitchell has had to do most of the heavy lifting only to be gassed late in games, especially in the playoffs. That's not a sustainable formula, and Kenny Atkinson finally has some pieces to lean on.
With Peyton Watson in town, the Cavaliers now have another bona fide 20+ points-per-game scorer who, unlike Darius Garland, should be available more often than not. They should get him involved early and often, with Mitchell deferring some of his offensive production to him.
James Harden clearly isn't the guy who could go off for 50+ points on any given night, and that's fine. Then again, even though he's no longer going to the line 200 times a game, he can still be more aggressive as a driver to also help ease Mitchell's workload.
As for Evan Mobley, fans expecting some sort of breakout offensive year might be in for a rude awakening, though having Watson by his side might force defenses to pick their poison and get him some open looks he wasn't always used to getting.
Last but not least, guys like Jaylon Tyson and Tyrese Proctor should both be in for expanded roles next season. The first might be in the mix for Most Improved Player after Dean Wade and Max Strus left the building, and the latter is probably the leading candidate for the backup point guard role after Dennis Schroder's departure.
The Cavs don't need Mitchell to do all of the heavy lifting. That's not always winning basketball. Yes, he can score 30+ a night like Luka Doncic, or he could even become a foul-baiter and average 15 free-throws a night like other guys, but there's no need for that.
It's time the Cavaliers start operating as more than just Donovan Mitchell's team when they're on offense; they can't expect him to bail them out on every trip down the court, as talented as he is. They need to lower his usage, and they have the right pieces to do it.
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