Donovan Mitchell is entering his first season with the Cleveland Cavaliers after spending the first five years of his career with the Utah Jazz.
Mitchell is undoubtedly excited to be part of the Cavs organization, but it seems like he’s still getting used to the fact that he now plays for Cleveland. He recently admitted that it felt very strange to put on a Cavs jersey after spending so many years with the Jazz.
Mitchell on if it felt strange to wear a Cavs jersey after his years with the Jazz: “One hundred percent.”
— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) October 6, 2022
It’s hard to blame Mitchell. Five years is a long time to spend anywhere, and he clearly got used to wearing a Jazz jersey every night during his stint with them.
In due time, he’ll surely get used to taking the floor in a Cavs jersey.
Mitchell made his preseason debut for Cleveland on Wednesday, and he did not disappoint. He played 19 minutes and led the team in scoring.
The guard dropped 16 points, five assists and two rebounds while going 6-for-9 from the field and 3-for-4 from beyond the arc. The Cavs lost by a point, but there were certainly plenty of positive things to take from the game, including the fact that Mitchell looked good alongside Darius Garland.
Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff had good things to say about the duo after the game.
“I thought it was pretty seamless the way they played together, the way that the ball moved and everybody got involved,” Bickerstaff said.
Garland and Mitchell definitely have the potential to be one of the best offensive backcourts in all of basketball. That’s an exciting thought for Cavs fans.
It’s probably just as exciting for Garland, who will likely be asked to carry a more reasonable load this season with Mitchell now in the mix. The 22-year-old was asked to do a lot for the Cavs last season, but now that the team has another player who is capable of being a No. 1 option, there will be less pressure on Garland going forward.
Of course, Cleveland missed the playoffs last season despite looking like a virtual lock to get in at certain points. The Cavs did finish with a winning record and made the play-in tournament, but they weren’t able to make it to a playoff series.
This season, the expectation is that Cleveland will take that next step, and the journey will begin on Oct. 19 when the Cavs face the Toronto Raptors on the road.
