The Cleveland Cavaliers shocked the NBA world when they acquired James Harden. They had already made a big splash when they traded for Keon Ellis, and adding a former MVP to the mix elevated their floor and ceiling.
Notably, they did that because of Donovan Mitchell. They believe in him and want him to be the face of the franchise for years to come, which is why they felt like they had to improve his supporting cast to let him know how they feel about him.
Mitchell is thanking them with his impact on and off the court. He's much more than their leading scorer; he's embraced a veteran leadership role to make sure everybody stays on the same page. Of course, that includes taming Jaylon Tyson, whose minutes and touches took a hit upon Harden's arrival.
Donovan Mitchell wants to help Jaylon Tyson stay grounded
Mitchell knows how big of an impact someone like Tyson can make on a nightly basis. As such, he wants to make sure he stays motivated, even if he's not going to be in a position to lead the team in scoring or play a lot of minutes:
“I was like, ‘Hey, it may not be a 40-point night for you. It may not be 30 a night. It may not be a start, it may not be this,'” Mitchell told ClutchPoints' Spencer Davies. “I've told him, ‘Man, you've already shown you're capable."
Mitchell reminded Tyson he's already proven a lot more than most guys have in their careers. The young Cavs wing has managed to do that in just two season alone.
Tyson has been a good sport about this, but it may not have been easy for him. He barely played as a rookie and balled out when given a chance. It looked like he was finally trending in the right direction, even getting the nod to play in the Rising Stars game.
That said, this isn't an indictment of him. It's not that he's done anything wrong or that he's not good or talented enough to play big minutes. That's just the way things usually go for young players who are drafted to play for a team with championship aspirations.
The Cavaliers went from pretenders to actual contenders. That means everybody will have to sacrifice for the greater good. Tyson has done a great job of embracing that role so far, and he can always count on his veteran leader to stay by his side through the ebbs and flows of his young career.