The Cleveland Cavaliers made a shocking trade ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline, sending All-Star point guard Darius Garland to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for former league MVP James Harden. It was a deal that created strong opinions on both sides -- and it brings up yet again the problem looming over the Cavaliers franchise.
Two years ago, the Cavaliers fired head coach J.B. Bickerstaff after a strong season because of two reasons: the team fell short in the playoffs, and Donovan Mitchell was reportedly ready to move on. That move has probably worked out, with Kenny Atkinson leading the Cavs to the No. 1 seed last year and a likely Top-4 finish this year, but Bickerstaff has also been wildly successful in Detroit.
Mollified, Mitchell signed a contract extension and committed to stay in Cleveland for at least a few more seasons. His current extension run through next season and then Mitchell can decline his player option and either sign a new contract in Cleveland or leave for another team in the summer of 2027.
The Cavaliers are scrambling to make Donovan Mitchell happy
Suddenly, the pressure is back on. The primary reason the Cavaliers traded for James Harden? You can point to the size of Cleveland backcourt, Darius Garland's injury history, Harden's expiring deal, but in the end the real reason? Donovan Mitchell wanted a change, and he wanted James Harden.
A team making the moves that their star player wants is nothing new; NBA teams have recognized that keeping their stars happy is the No. 1 priority for decades. Yet Mitchell is likewise not a trained talent evaluator or cap expert; he is just a prolific scoring guard who wants the best team around him to compete for a championship.
The front office is feeling the temperature rise because if Mitchell walks, they likely feel like it's over in terms of competing with this roster. Star players don't choose to move to Ohio; they are not a free agent destination. Unless one of the greatest players alive is born in a Cleveland suburb, no one capable of being the best player on a title team is choosing the Cavaliers.
It's understandable for the Cavaliers to want to keep Mitchell happy, and to some extent that should play a factor into the organization's decision-making -- but a small part. In the grand scheme it's a losing strategy.
At some point, making moves to make Mitchell happy only goes so far. The real pressure on the Cavaliers is to win at the highest level. Mitchell will put up with whatever teammates he has if the team is truly competiting for championships and making deep playoff runs. If they are upset early in the postseason, it doesn't matter if the team is stocked with his closest friends.
Win, and Mitchell will want to stay. Lose, and he will want to leave. It's that simple.
James Harden's first few games in Cleveland have been exciting, and the vibes are good. They usually are when "Honeymoon Harden" first arrives in a new town. Yet the real test will come in the playoffs, where Harden's track record is spottier than a leopard. If he proves not to be the solution, more changes will come -- all with the goal of keeping Mitchell around.
Perhaps the Cavaliers found the right move to make; perhaps they're moving deck chairs on the Titanic. In the end, they have to deliver a contender -- and that might mean saying no to Donovan Mitchell. To this point, they haven't proven capable of doing that.