Donovan Mitchell spoke about the Cleveland Cavaliers trading Darius Garland to the Los Angeles Clippers for James Harden.
There's a new dynamic duo in the NBA.
The Cleveland Cavaliers made a blockbuster trade with the Los Angeles Clippers. The deal sent Darius Garland to Los Angeles and James Harden to Cleveland.
The Cavaliers now have Harden and Donovan Mitchell, two of the top scorers in the NBA, and Mitchell can't wait to play with The Beard.
"We both know that it's going to be an adjustment, but we're excited," Mitchell told Tony Jones of The Athletic. "I'm excited about what he can do for me as a player, and I'm excited about what he can do for our team as a whole. We want the same thing. We both want a championship.
"So, at the end of the day, we're shooting for the same goals, and we have to go about trying to win at a high level."
The Cavaliers are now under immense pressure to win the championship this season. The Wine and Gold haven't gotten past the second round of the playoffs since 2018. Mitchell, 29, has never reached the conference finals.
Harden made it to the 2012 NBA Finals with the Oklahoma City Thunder, who lost to LeBron James and the Miami Heat in five games. The 11-time All-Star also guided the Houston Rockets to the conference finals twice. Houston lost to the Golden State Warriors both times.
It will be fascinating to see how Harden and Mitchell mesh. Both players are ball-dominant players and there is only one ball on the court. Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson will have to get creative with his offensive sets.
“We know that there is going to be a period where we have to adjust,” Mitchell said. “I’m going to have to figure out how to play without the ball a little bit. I’ve done it before, and I’m going to have to do it again. But, James is one of the best to ever do it. I think we both want the same things, and we both have the same goal in mind. We just want to win, and I think that we’re willing to do what it takes.”
Harden is averaging 25.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game this season while shooting 41.9% from the field, 34.7% from beyond the arc and 90.1% from the free-throw line. He's one of the best scorers and passers in the NBA despite being 36.
Mitchell is playing very well this season as well. He's averaging 28.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game and shooting 48.4% from the field, 38.1% from 3 and 84.6% from the foul line.
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