Moving forward with our ongoing top 25 player rankings we arrive at Donovan Mitchell. An elite athlete and scorer who has made a strong impact on winning since his rookie season. Mitchell is coming off an incredible season and the young star is poised to continue his excellence this year.
Top 25 NBA players 2023-24: No. 14 Donovan Mitchell
A Dynamic Guard and Elite Athlete:
Throughout his six-year career, Donovan Mitchell has been a prolific three-level scorer and athletic combo guard. Mitchell is an elite downhill athlete with incredible finishing and shot-creation abilities. Since entering the league Mitchell has been a dependable scoring option and proved he can be the best player on a playoff team. For years, Mitchell has been a consensus top-25 player and perennial All-star. Furthermore, at 27 Mitchell is officially in his prime and could blossom into a true superstar.
Season Recap:
About a month before last season Mitchell was surprisingly traded to the Cavs after months of trade rumors linked him with the Knicks. Mitchell proved to be a perfect fit with Cleveland and arguably had a career-best season. Which included a career-high in points per game and his first All-NBA selection. Mitchell’s jump in scoring is complemented by his career year shooting the three.
Mitchell had the performance of the year when he erupted for 71 points and 11 assists in an overtime win vs. the Bulls. The Cavs led by Mitchell made the playoffs for the first time since the LeBron James era winning an impressive 51 games in the process. The 4 seeded Cavs matched up against the 5 seeded Knicks in a series where most people favored Cleveland. However, the Cavs were unfortunately disappointed in the playoffs and lost to the Knicks in just five games. For the second straight year, Mitchell took a step back in playoffs, especially his efficiency while scoring and overall aggression. Mitchell needs to improve his playoff play to reach the next level as a player.
Season Outlook:
Mitchell has two years left on his contract and will likely opt out of his contract to test free agency in 2025. Mitchell has been heavily linked to the Knicks and leaving Cleveland feels like a strong possibility. However, from the Cavs perspective, you have to ride it out. Especially considering the upside this roster has with Mitchell and what you gave up to land him just last season. Furthermore, if Mitchell has real success in Cleveland staying put remains a strong possibility. The Cavs addressed their lack of rotational wings by signing Max Strus, and Georges Niang this off-season.
These additions along with another year of development from Evan Mobley could cause the Cavs to make another jump and be a threat in the playoffs. The Cavs appear to be committed to building a contender around Mitchell who is a proven franchise star. With these roster improvements around him, it’s time for Mitchell to set up and play like a star in the playoffs. Furthermore, outside of the Celtics and Bucks the East is fairly open. That could set the Cavs up for a surprising conference finals run if the pieces fall into place.
The Last Word on Donovan Mitchell:
Ultimately, Mitchell’s first year with the Cavs boosted his spot on the rankings. Mitchell was incredible in the regular season putting up absurd scoring numbers while making his strongest all-around impact and leading the Cavs to 50 wins. Mitchell’s future with Cleveland might be uncertain. However, what is certain is that Mitchell will continue to be one of the most talented and impactful scoring guards in the league.
