How a Simple Lunch Between Donovan Mitchell and Kenny Atkinson Sparked the Cavaliers’ Championship Chase

November 28, 2024

The Cleveland Cavaliers may have stumbled onto something truly special, and it all started with a plate of food and a conversation — no iPads, no PowerPoints, just Donovan Mitchell and Kenny Atkinson hashing out the future with a saltshaker as their pick-and-roll screener, as detailed by Sam Amick of The Athletic.

This wasn’t just any lunch. It was a meeting of the minds between the Cavs’ new head coach and their franchise player, and by the time they walked out of the Four Seasons in Westlake Village, California, Cleveland had its blueprint.

If the Cavaliers are truly on the verge of something great this season — currently boasting the NBA’s best record at 17-2 — it’s clear the seeds were planted that day.

Atkinson, hired to replace J.B. Bickerstaff after the Cavs’ second-round playoff exit to Boston, knew his first mission was to connect with Mitchell. He didn’t bring a PowerPoint; he brought his basketball brain.

“We were going over stuff with f—ing salt and pepper on the placemat,” Mitchell told The Athletic. “Legitimately trying to figure it all out.”

The stakes couldn’t have been higher. Mitchell was entering a contract year, and the whispers of free agency loomed large over the Cavs’ offseason. The team had already dealt with enough drama — Jarrett Allen’s rib injury, Darius Garland’s frustration with his role, and Evan Mobley’s inconsistent development.

Atkinson had to prove he was the guy who could get this roster to click. More importantly, he had to convince Mitchell to buy into a plan that would require him to sacrifice for the greater good.

Turns out, Mitchell didn’t need much convincing.

“He just got it,” Atkinson said. “I wanted his thoughts on how we’d play, the team, everything. And the way he broke down the roster, it was like talking to another coach. His IQ is really off the charts.”

The plan? Reduce Mitchell’s minutes, empower Mobley as a playmaker in a Draymond Green-type role, and give Garland more freedom as a primary ball-handler. It meant less predictable pick-and-rolls and isolations and more ball movement, cutting, and motion. It also meant putting the team ahead of individual accolades.

Mitchell bought in. A few days later, he signed a three-year, $150 million extension. Suddenly, the Cavs had their foundation locked in, and everything started to fall into place. Mobley got his own extension in July, Allen in August, and now Cleveland looks every bit the contender they’ve been building toward since Mitchell arrived in 2022.

Of course, it hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows. Mitchell knows better than anyone that being elite in the regular season doesn’t guarantee playoff success.

His Utah Jazz flamed out after finishing with the league’s best record in 2020-21, and the 51-win Cavaliers were humbled in the first round by the Knicks in 2023. Last year, they lost to the eventual-champion Celtics in five games in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

This time, though, feels different — despite Wednesday’s stunning home loss to the Hawks.

Mitchell is playing fewer minutes but still producing All-Star numbers. Garland, meanwhile, looks rejuvenated, thriving in an offense where his role is more defined. And Mobley? He’s starting to scratch the surface of his potential, anchoring a defense that has slipped recently, but remains one of the league’s best.

But this early dominance has brought a new kind of pressure.

“We screwed ourselves now because now we know who we are,” Mitchell said. “We showed who we are. This is the barometer.”

That bar is sky-high, but Mitchell isn’t shying away from it. After eight seasons of playoff disappointments, he’s embracing the moment. And so are the Cavs. If they do reach the NBA’s promised land, it’ll all trace back to that summer lunch where Atkinson and Mitchell began building this unlikely success story.

“It was a nice lunch,” Atkinson said. “A really nice lunch.”

Turns out, the meal may have been as important as anything drawn up on the court.