The Cleveland Cavaliers’ season only just ended and they’re already seemingly facing some bizarre drama with franchise player Donovan Mitchell.
The elite scoring guard has just two years left (one being a player option) on his current contract with Cleveland, leading to rumors swirling about the Cavaliers potentially trading Mitchell away this summer before losing him for nothing. As the Cavaliers simultaneously try to reconcile with their five-game second-round exit to the Boston Celtics, a new report from Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor claims Mitchell wasn’t happy with how his teammates responded to playoff adversity and intensity this spring.
“Throughout the season, Mitchell has repeatedly mentioned how happy he is in Cleveland and how much he likes this situation. He’s played his best basketball here. But sources say at times he grew frustrated with some teammates’ lack of maturity, focus, playoff-level readiness and a willingness to listen.”
Oh. Huh. That’s a pretty strong statement to say out loud about any team’s leader and best player. As it turns out, Mitchell caught wind of the quote and report on Twitter.
He addressed it directly with a quote tweet claiming the sentiment was a lie:
While it’s impossible to know who’s really telling the truth here, one thing is certain: A crucial offseason with many questions for the Cavaliers awaits.
Will J.B. Bickerstaff still be the head coach? Is Darius Garland long for Cleveland? Is the Cavaliers’ relationship with Jarrett Allen still in a good place? But above all, whether they move forward with Mitchell as their centerpiece of the future is easily the main priority.
Mitchell’s quick decision to nip this report about potential frustrations with his teammates in the bud might speak volumes.