HoopsHype Ranks Donovan Mitchell No. 2 Among NBA Shooting Guards For 2026-27

HoopsHype published its ranking of the 27 best shooting guards in the NBA for 2026-27 on Friday. Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell came in second. Only Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves ranked ahead of him.

Mitchell averaged 27.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.7 assists last season. He shot 48.3% from the field and 36.4% from three. He finished seventh in the NBA in scoring. His 1,952 total points ranked sixth.

He has three All-NBA selections in four seasons, with two second-team and one first-team. He's made seven All-Star teams in nine seasons. The NBA Finals haven't happened yet.

The 2026 All-Star starters were announced in January, but he was noticeably missing. Mitchell, averaging 29 points and having played more games than the selected Eastern Conference guards, was not chosen.

"I kind of expected that," Mitchell said. He pointed to Cleveland's record against the teams those guards played for.

Cleveland made it to the conference finals last spring for the first time since 2018, but they were swept by the New York Knicks. The Knicks secured the victory with a 115-104 win, highlighted by a 44-11 run in the fourth quarter and overtime.

Mitchell later apologized to Cleveland in an interview with ESPN's Marc J. Spears.

"I love it here, I don't know any other way to say it," Mitchell explained.

In the first round against Toronto, Mitchell averaged 23.1 points, with shooting percentages of 43.8% from the field, 33.3% from three, and 87.5% from the free-throw line. Cleveland secured the series in seven games.

Mitchell's career playoff average of 27.8 points per game ranks seventh all-time in league history. Stephen Curry is just behind at 26.8, with Giannis Antetokounmpo averaging 27.0. Devin Booker, Amen Thompson, and Austin Reaves took the top three spots. Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets was the highest rookie, ending the rankings in seventh place. Ausar Thompson of the Detroit Pistons was 13th. Shaedon Sharpe, Aaron Wiggins, and Brandin Podziemski did not make the list.

Mitchell is set to earn $50,105,628 in 2026-27, which ranks as the 14th-highest salary in the league. He agreed to a four-year, $273 million maximum extension in July.

In September 2022, Cleveland acquired Mitchell from the Utah Jazz, five years after the Denver Nuggets initially drafted him 13th overall from Louisville and then traded him to Utah. During his four seasons with the Cavaliers, he has averaged 26.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. He has been selected as an All-Star each season.

Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson is 116-48 in the regular season and 13-14 in the playoffs with Cleveland. He won Coach of the Year in 2024-25. Atkinson is expected to start Mitchell alongside James Harden, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen.

Cleveland lost Dean Wade to Philadelphia, Keon Ellis to Brooklyn, and Larry Nance Jr. to Indiana this offseason. The Cavaliers signed Mario Hezonja.

Cleveland opens the regular season Oct. 22 against the Philadelphia 76ers.