Ex-Cavs big man: Donovan Mitchell wasn’t ‘bought in’ last season because of J.B. Bickerstaff

The Cleveland Cavaliers are rolling this season, and star guard Donovan Mitchell has had a major hand in the team’s success.

Mitchell has been impressive since the minute he joined the Cavs via trade, but this season in particular could be a special one for him and the organization if they remain on their current trajectory.

Former Cavs big man Kendrick Perkins believes Mitchell is becoming more of a leader this season under new head coach Kenny Atkinson. He thinks Mitchell “wasn’t bought in last season” under former Cavs skipper J.B. Bickerstaff.

“Now, we’re watchin’ Donovan Mitchell become more of a leader,” Perkins said. “He wasn’t bought in last season because him and Bickerstaff didn’t see eye to eye. Now, all of a sudden, you have Kenny Atkinson, who has completely unlocked this Cavs group.”

Whether it’s true or not that Mitchell and Bickerstaff had some differences, it would be hard to knock Mitchell’s effort during the two seasons he played under the former Cavs head coach. Mitchell played at a very high level during his first two seasons with the Cavs and helped the team capture a series victory in the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

This season, Mitchell’s role has changed a bit under Atkinson. For one, the 28-year-old is averaging around five fewer minutes per game than he did last season. He’s also attempting around two fewer field-goal attempts per game. These things have been made possible in part by the fact that Cleveland’s offense — arguably the best in the league — has been so effective that the team hasn’t needed to rely on Mitchell too much.

Amid those changes, the guard is enjoying one of the most efficient seasons of his career. He may be averaging fewer points per game (23.7) than folks are used to, but he’s shooting 46.8 percent from the field and an impressive 41.0 percent from beyond the arc.

The Cavs are enjoying a balanced attack on offense, with no player averaging more points per game than Mitchell but three players averaging at least 18. Cleveland is 12-0 and now has a three-game lead atop the Eastern Conference.

The undefeated start can’t last forever, but it doesn’t have to end in the immediate future, either. The Cavs have a few winnable games coming up (against the Philadelphia 76ers, Chicago Bulls and Charlotte Hornets) before a massive showdown against the Boston Celtics awaits. Cleveland could be 15-0 going into that matchup.