The Cleveland Cavaliers’ stunning acquisition of guard Donovan Mitchell has lit up social media, with plenty of NBA figures offering their immediate assessments of the blockbuster deal.
Whaaaaaaaa 😳😳
— Royce O'Neale (@BucketsONeale00) September 1, 2022
Cleveland gonna be nice! With a good ass coaching staff
— Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) September 1, 2022
Huh? Where tf that come from?
— Josh Hart (@joshhart) September 1, 2022
Sheesh
— Tyrese Haliburton (@TyHaliburton22) September 1, 2022
Cavs from the top rope
— Maurice Harkless (@moe_harkless) September 1, 2022
Welcome to the east @spidadmitchell im locking that up 😁
— Royce O'Neale (@BucketsONeale00) September 1, 2022
I see this line up constantly. But y’all keep forgetting about Caris 🤦🏽♂️🤦🏽♂️🤦🏽♂️… Cavs got a great YOUNG roster https://t.co/InJ4Fsoj9O
— Jared Sullinger Sr. (@Jared_Sully0) September 1, 2022
Literally wrote this in the group chat lol. https://t.co/Uez012DUjy
— Jared Sullinger Sr. (@Jared_Sully0) September 1, 2022
And they got Caris who got HOOP game come playoff time… Damn!
— Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) September 1, 2022
https://twitter.com/moe_harkless/status/1565428504690401280
https://twitter.com/moe_harkless/status/1565429495477174273
Uh oh 😂😂😂😂😂
— Lamar Stevens (@LamarStevens11) September 1, 2022
Utah’s CEO of Basketball Danny Ainge is doing a fantastic job rearranging Utah roster and acquiring 13 unprotected or lightly protected picks. I don’t think he’s done yet!
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) September 1, 2022
Great trade for the Cleveland Cavaliers acquiring Donovan Mitchell to match with the young talent they already have. The Cavs will be a force to be reckoned with in the East!
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) September 1, 2022
Wow Cleveland and Utah! Could be good for both teams!!
Cleveland gave up a lot but I think both teams are going to be happy when they wake up tomorrow.
— George Karl (@CoachKarl22) September 1, 2022
Donovan Mitchell Congratulations. You deserve to be around civilization. I must address #TakeNote Nation first. The next three years will be miserable, you guys had it coming.
— Vernon Maxwell (@VernonMaxwell11) September 1, 2022
Among those offering their sentiments are former Cavs guard Isaiah Thomas and the team’s former head coach George Karl. In some instances, praise is being directed at Jazz president CEO Danny Ainge for the amount of present and future talent that the team received in return for Mitchell.
However, many of the tweets are focusing on the fact that the Cavaliers now have one of the strongest starting backcourts in the NBA. Mitchell quickly developed into a standout guard after being drafted in 2017, while Garland made major strides last season for the Cavs.
In the case of Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson, he’s offering accolades in both directions by also noting that the Cavaliers are now expected to be a force within the Eastern Conference.
Instant Jolt
While the deal is one that removes much of the Cavaliers’ draft capital for the near future, adding a player of Mitchell’s caliber should offer the developing team an immediate boost.
Prior to the trade, the Cavaliers were facing an uncomfortable situation regarding Collin Sexton’s contract situation. Sexton, who was the eighth overall pick in 2018, was asking for a steep increase in pay, with the Cavs offering much less as a counteroffer.
Giving up a player like Lauri Markkanen isn’t likely to have much impact on the Cavs. In his lone year with the team last year, Markkanen averaged 14.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.
In the trade, the Cavaliers also gave up their top pick of the 2022 NBA Draft, Ochai Agbaji. Given the fact that Agbaji never actually played a regular season game for the team, any immediate impact from his departure will be minimal at best.
The Bright Look Ahead
Last season, the Cavaliers finally removed themselves from the three-year losing rut they’d been in since the departure of LeBron James.
Even though the Cavaliers only reached the play-in portion of the 2022-23 season, there has already been plenty of promise for the upcoming campaign. The infusion of Mitchell into the starting lineup ratchets the enthusiasm surrounding the franchise.
