Donovan Mitchell makes a shocking claim about Cavaliers

With the Knicks obtaining Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges, and the Sixers adding Paul George this offseason, the defending champion Celtics will face two viable title contenders in the 2024-25 season. Furthermore, the Bucks, headed by Giannis Antetokounmpo, might be a force to be reckoned with in Doc Rivers’ first full season as coach.

While those four teams are projected to lead the pack in a congested Eastern Conference, Donovan Mitchell has cautioned against writing off his Cavaliers, who ended 48-34 last season. The All-Star guard pointed out that the Cavs were a top-3 seed for most of the year until injuries derailed them, as he (27), Darius Garland (25) and Evan Mobley (32) missed a chunk of games at critical points.

“We’re championship contenders when we’re healthy,” Mitchell told Andscape’s Marc Spears. “I feel like last year we grew in a lot of ways. We played a lot of different ways. Now during that stretch, we went on, obviously D.G. [Darius Garland] and Evan [Mobley] were hurt. But we found something that really can help bring us to the next level. So now the trick is, how do we continue to implement that style of play over 82 [regular-season games] and then the final 16 [playoff] wins.”

The great guard noted that Garland and Mobley were still in their developing stages, but he saw enough in both players to sign a contract extension this offseason.

“I believe in the hunger and the will that we have as a group. And so, for us, I believe we’re cherished contenders when healthy,” he stressed.

The Cavaliers have the 10th-shortest title odds and the fifth-best chance of representing the East in the NBA Finals heading into the 2024-25 season. As a result, they would upset the apple cart if they actually competed for the crown.

Mitchell and Co. will face the Raptors on October 23.