Donovan Mitchell's MVP brilliance is undeniable, but can his early-season brilliance translate into ultimate team victory, or is it a dangerous path for the Cavaliers?
Donovan Mitchell is one of the most unique super star players in NBA history.
He's as humble a person and a player you'll find, regardless of his status as one of the NBA's 1%. He's gracious in victory or defeat. Take last year's frustrating end to the postseason for instance. In the aftermath of being eliminated from the playoffs, Mitchell sat there and answered every question candidly and professionally.
He's also embraced his new home, Cleveland, as passionately as anyone that has ever played for Cavaliers possibly could, without the built in attachment that someone like LeBron James had, being from Northeast Ohio. That may be the biggest reason he's already become one of the most celebrated players in franchise history, and across all three sports team, despite only being in his fourth season here.
It certainly helps that he's also extremely good at basketball. And this year, he happens to be playing better than he ever has.
Mitchell is averaging career highs pretty much across the board in field goal percentage (50.5%), three point percentage (38.9%), points per game (30.6) and offensive rating (122.2). 20 games into the 2025-26 season, he's easily put himself in the MVP conversation. And, naturally, he's should be celebrated for his efforts, just as Cavs fans should want to see their star player make a run at the award.
The problem is, if Mitchell remains in the MVP conversation for the entire season, it may actually come at the expense of another infuriatingly early postseason exit next spring.
Mitchell is obviously at the core of any success Cleveland hopes to have. But for the Cavs to reach the ultimate goal of playing for a championship, this early season reliance on Mitchell could potentially turn into a problematic habit.
The wine and gold are constructed in a way where they're at their most dominant when the offense isn't depending solely on Mitchell. That free flowing style that thrives on contributions from so many players down the roster, is what got Kenny Atkinson hired here in the first place.
It's the thing he was tasked with unlocking and mostly did a season ago when the Cavs won 64 games and clinched the top seed in the East, before that premature second round playoff exit. We already saw what a playoff series looks like when Mitchell was asked to shoulder most of the offensive burden. It's just not a sustainable path to victory, particularly in the today's NBA.
Meanwhile, Mitchell, Atkinson and anyone in between has pointed to star power forward Evan Mobley as being the key cog in the team's success. Those conversations have birthed his increased role this season, which has come with it's fair share of ups and downs.
He's supposed to be the guy sharing that offensive burden with Mitchell the most. But far too often he's been M.I.A. late in games, when Cleveland needs him. While Mobley navigates his new reality and the Cavs navigate a plethora of injuries that have ravaged their lineups early in the season, it's understandable that they're leaning on Mitchell to carry them.
It just can't become their identity. As fun as it's been to watch, it can't become their identity. Mitchell having to play at league MVP levels over the next five months would likely mean something has gone terribly wrong with the Cavaliers this season.
For that reason, you may not want him to win it.