Report: Donovan Mitchell Believes Cavaliers Can Be ‘Championship Contender’

According to NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Donovan Mitchell believes the Cleveland Cavaliers can be a “championship contender.”

The Cavaliers face the Boston Celtics in the second round of this year’s playoffs after beating the Orlando Magic in the first round in seven games. 

"They truly believe internally, Donovan Mitchell does at least, that this team can be a championship contender…They're going to go up against the Celtics as heavy underdogs."@ShamsCharania on the @cavs and Donovan Mitchell.

📺: https://t.co/oxMs3CAEGu pic.twitter.com/oVoun636Cp

— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) May 6, 2024

The Cavaliers have three All-Stars in Mitchell, Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland. They also have a budding star in Evan Mobley.

“We didn’t make the group we made just to come in and win the first round,” Mitchell said after the Cavaliers won Game 7 versus the Magic. “We accomplished one goal, now we have to do it again. That’s the mindset. … When they traded for me, it wasn’t just to win a first-round series. It was to continue to push and move forward. And I think that’s where all of our heads are at.”

The Cavaliers have one title in franchise history. LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love guided Cleveland to the 2016 championship over the Golden State Warriors. 

Mitchell scored 89 points in Games 6 and 7 against the Magic, the second most in Games 6 and 7 of a series in NBA postseason history. Only Allen Iverson in 2001 vs. the Milwaukee Bucks had more.

“He’s a competitor,” Garland said. “He’s a go-getter. He’s a winner — that’s all he talks about. He wants us to get over this hump. He’s going to do anything possible to get us over it.”

Mitchell can sign an extension for up to four years and around $200 million this summer. The 27-year-old has a player option worth $37 million for the 2025-26 season.

Mitchell can become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2025 if he declines that player option. He has never been to the conference finals. 

One of the top scorers in the NBA, Mitchell has career averages of 24.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists with the Utah Jazz and Cavaliers. He scored a career-high 71 points last season against the Chicago Bulls.