Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell Declines 3-Point Shootout Invitation

Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell has declined an invitation by the NBA to compete in the 3-Point shooting competition at All-Star Weekend, he told Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.

The 3-Point Shootout will take place Saturday in Salt Lake City, the host of this year’s All-Star Game. Mitchell spent the first five seasons of his career with the Jazz before an offseason trade to Cleveland.

“I would’ve done it had (Warriors guard Steph Curry) been in it this year,” he told Fedor.

Mitchell, 26, is averaging a career-high 27.2 points and shooting a career-high 39 percent on threes. All of that includes his career-high 71 points in an overtime win over the Bulls in January.

He was voted an All-Star starter for the game.

Competing in this year’s 3-point contest, per Shams Charania of The Athletic: Boston’s Jayson Tatum, Sacramento’s Kevin Huerter, Miami’s Tyler Herro, Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield, Portland’s Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons and Utah’s Lauri Markkanen, acquired by the Jazz in the Mitchell trade.

The Cavs (38-22) visit the 76ers on Wednesday for their final game before the break. They have won seven straight.

#Cavs Donovan Mitchell was asked by the NBA to participate in the 3-Point Contest for the second time in his career. But he told @clevelanddotcom that he declined the invitehttps://t.co/Es5jfsgZEF

— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) February 14, 2023