Through the first few games of the season, it’s become clear that many were wrong about Donovan Mitchell during the offseason.
At one point during the offseason, after the Utah Jazz had traded Rudy Gobert but before they had moved Donovan Mitchell, there was the argument of whether the former was good enough to carry a team and if he would be worth the cost of a possible trade.
In fact, there were probably teams desperate for a star that ended up deciding against going all-in for Mitchell. But not the Cleveland Cavaliers. As the likes of the New York Knicks and Miami Heat waited in hopes of the asking price for Mitchell to drop, the Cavs threw in a godfather offer that included Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, Collin sexton, three unprotected first-round picks, and two pick swaps.
On the surface, it may seem a lot for Mitchell, but through the first six games of the season, it may now seem as if it were not enough. Entering week three of the regular season, the Cavs are 5-1 and have won five-straight games after losing their season opener.
More importantly, Mitchell is continuing to prove the offseason doubters wrong. With Darius Garland out with an injury, the Cavs have not missed a beat. And, at least for now, this is a Cleveland team that looks like the second or third-best team in the Eastern Conference.
Through the first six games of the season, Mitchell is averaging 32 points, seven assists, and five rebounds per game on 50 percent shooting from the field and 46 percent shooting from 3-point range. He has wasted little time in adjusting to his new team and very much looks like the missing piece that this talented roster needed last season.
The scary part of Cleveland’s early-season success is that much of it is coming with Garland sidelined with an injury. While the hope is that he will return sooner rather than later, there’s also no need to rush him back.
The Cavs can be patient with Garland as Mitchell continues to excel at the moment.
The Cavs still have plenty to prove heading into the thick of the season but they’ve certainly gotten off to a great start. And Mitchell has been a bit part of that. If there were questions about the Cavs or Mitchell before the season, those are now gone now. This team is legit and so is Mitchell. He’s proving the offseason doubters to be very wrong.