Does Donovan Mitchell Make The Cleveland Cavaliers Championship Contenders?

To the surprise of many, the Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz in a blockbuster trade. The move was made official on Thursday afternoon, as ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news on Twitter. All the previous reports seemed to make it clear that the New York Knicks led the charge in trade discussions with Utah. On top of that, Mitchell being from the Empire State and having been sited in the Big Apple multiple times this offseason made it clear where he'd prefer to go. So to have the Cavaliers emerge as his ultimate landing spot has many in awe.

But as the shock of the trade withers, we are tasked with figuring out what the move means. How does this new scenario shape up for Cleveland, Utah, and the league at large? Most importantly, we must consider whether this trade makes the Cleveland Cavaliers a championship contender.

Cleveland sent Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, and 2022 first-round pick Ochai Ogbaji to Utah, along with three unprotected first-round picks ('25, '27, '29) and two draft swaps ('26, '28). With this move, the Cavs have added Donovan Mitchell to a core including Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, and Evan Mobley. Each of Mitchell, Allen, and Garland were all-stars last season. Meanwhile, Evan Mobley garnered serious consideration for Rookie of the Year honors. The combination of these four players should put the Cavaliers in position to compete for a championship. But there is reason to have doubt on that front. 

While Mitchell does bring great offensive capabilities to a team in need of it, he may not clear up the other issues they have. Donovan Mitchell has not been as proficient defensively in the NBA as he was in his collegiate career at Louisville. Combined with the lack of defensive fervor you get from Darius Garland, it leaves some cause for concern for their perimeter defense. That said, it should make fans less concerned, knowing that Mitchell can elevate his defensive play. Although, the same may not be true for other players on the team.

Beyond their potential woes defensively, there are some questions about the supporting pieces on the roster. Caris LeVert has not shown the same consistency in his play since he departed from Brooklyn in 2021. Kevin Love did improve from prior seasons in his newest role, but he remains prone to injury. Ricky Rubio is coming off of a severe injury that sidelined him for a considerable portion of last season. Issac Okoro was the weakest link on offense whenever he played, and the remaining cast leaves more to be desired more often than not.

Though these flaws warrant concern, they shouldn't stop us from seeing the brighter side of this trade. The Cleveland Cavaliers, an organization often mocked for their inability to compete unless LeBron James is involved, has finally propped themselves up into a viable contender in the Eastern Conference without him. Or at least they hope to have done so.

When you look at where Cleveland finished last year and map out where they stand now compared to the other East teams, they definitely have a higher ceiling, but that doesn't immediately usher them to the top of the ladder. Acquiring talent is one thing. Making all the other pieces work is another. Considering the health concerns from an already strained bench unit and the lacking defensive presence in their new starting backcourt, Cleveland likely won't be favored over the top contenders from last year. Teams like the Celtics, Bucks, and Heat appear to have fewer and less glaring flaws. Even a team like Philadelphia will be favored over them in a playoff series if our projections hold true.

That said, this Cavs team is still young. And even if they're inexperienced and ill-prepared for immediate success, they'll have time to rectify any issues in the seasons to come with their core players in place. So to answer the headlining question: the Cleveland Cavaliers are a whole lot better today than they were yesterday. And while they may not make the NBA Finals in year one, they're well on course to make it there sooner rather than later.