Cavaliers' Donovan Mitchell Comes in 1st Place in Major NBA Ranking

Bleacher Report believes Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell is the best 29-year-old NBA player. 

Mitchell beat Jamal Murray, Bam Adebayo, Jaylen Brown and Devin Booker.

"It feels like Donovan Mitchell's stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers has been nitpicked as much as it's been celebrated," Bleacher Report wrote. "For NBA players, analysis often degrades to little more than 'what have you done for me lately?', even for those with championships.

"When you're like Mitchell, and you don't have the title, that line of thinking is harder to shake. But Mitchell, despite standing just 6'2" as a shooting guard, has made the All-Star team in each of his last seven campaigns. He's finished top seven in MVP voting in three of his four Cleveland campaigns. And as a Cav, he's put up 26.7 points, 5.3 assists and 3.3 threes. Mitchell is one of the most consistently productive combo guards in the NBA and will once again headline one of the league's best starting lineups in 2026-27."

Mitchell signed a four-year, $273 million maximum contract extension with the Cavaliers this offseason. The Cavaliers acquired Mitchell from the Utah Jazz in 2022. Mitchell is averaging 26.7 points per game in the regular season and 27.3 points per game in the playoffs in a Cleveland uniform.   

A seven-time All-Star, Mitchell led the Cavaliers to the Eastern Conference Finals last season. It was the first time Cleveland made the conference finals since 1992 without LeBron James. 

The New York Knicks swept Mitchell and the Cavaliers in the conference finals, but Cleveland's front office remained loyal to Mitchell by giving him the huge extension. 

“Donovan has embodied exactly what it means to represent the Cleveland Cavaliers on and off the floor,” president of basketball operations Koby Altman said, via Cavaliers.com. “From day one, he embraced this organization, our fans, and our community. Through SPIDACARES and his work with the team, he’s made a lasting impact on this city that reaches far beyond basketball. He’s been clear in his desire to be here, and that speaks volumes about who he is. His leadership, competitive fire and professionalism have helped define our culture and the standard for wearing a Cavaliers uniform. Securing Donovan long term reflects our shared vision and our commitment to building toward another NBA championship in Cleveland.”  

Mitchell enters this season with career averages of 25.1 points per game in the regular season and 27.8 points per game in the playoffs with the Jazz and Cavaliers. 

Cleveland will start James Harden, Mitchell, Peyton Watson, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen next season. 

The Cavaliers begin next season against LeBron and the 76ers in Philadelphia. That will be an electric atmosphere.