Against all odds, the Cleveland Cavaliers are currently the fourth-best team in the Eastern Conference, at least record-wide.
This team has been down two starters for most of the season, with Evan Mobley nursing an injured knee and Darius Garland working his way back from a broken jaw.
Nonetheless, Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen have managed to hold down the fort, with the rest of the supporting cast also stepping up big time for J.B. Bickerstaff’s team.
With that in mind, it’s not a surprise to see that the Cavs are letting every single team in the league know that Mitchell won’t be available for trade talks at any costs, according to Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype (via Legion Hoops).
Cleveland is telling teams that Donovan Mitchell is not for sale, per @MikeAScotto. pic.twitter.com/cboKftCyZJ
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 25, 2024
Mitchell was a potential trade candidate entering the season, as he has yet to commit to signing a contract extension with the Cavaliers, and some believe he has no interest in doing so.
Still, even if that were true, the Cavs have literally no incentive to trade him at this moment, considering the way he’s playing.
The Cavs could wait until the offseason to engage in any potential trade talk for the former Utah Jazz guard, assuming he’s, indeed, looking forward to leaving.
In the meantime, the Cavaliers are likely to be buyers and look for some more reinforcements ahead of the upcoming trade deadline, knowing that Garland’s return is just around the corner and that Mobley will also be back at some point in the campaign.
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