Nov 15, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) and guard Donovan Mitchell (45) celebrate after the Cavs beat the Chicago Bulls and moved to 14-0 on the season at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Cavaliers Urged to Make Jarring Donovan Mitchell Decision

Originally posted on Cleveland Cavaliers on SI
By Matthew Schmidt | Last updated Aug 25, 2025 11:09 PM ET

Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell enjoyed what was probably the best year of his NBA career this past season, finishing fifth in MVP voting after leading the Cavaliers to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Of course, Cleveland experienced yet another playoff flameout, falling to the Indiana Pacers in five games in the second round. That was obviously disappointing, but it did not erase what Mitchell achieved during the regular season.

Mitchell signed a contract extension with the Cavs last offseason, so he is expected to be their franchise player for the foreseeable future. But does that also mean he will reign king over the Cavaliers' offense?

Jason Timpf of the Hoops Tonight podcast surprisingly argues otherwise and actually feels that the Cavaliers should hand the offense over to Darius Garland, who also had the best year of his individual career during the 2024-25 campaign.

But it's not what you're thinking. Timpf isn't stating that Garland should be the lead scorer. Instead, he is claiming that Garland should focus on facilitating duties, which would allow Mitchell to focus almost exclusively on his scoring, which is where he truly excels.

Should the Cavaliers change Donovan Mitchell's role?

Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

This is certainly not a bad idea. Garland averaged 6.7 assists per game this past year, so he has definitely displayed solid playmaking abilities. Meanwhile, Mitchell logged five dimes a night, but perhaps he would be better off sacrificing a couple of those assists if it meant getting more buckets.

Mitchell posted 24 points per game in 2024-25, which was actually his lowest mark since the 2019-20 campaign with the Utah Jazz when he recorded that same exact number. Mitchell has demonstrated he can be a 30-point scorer quite regularly if he wants to, so perhaps that is the direction in which Cleveland's offense should proceed next season.

The Cavs will also have to find a way to get Evan Mobley more touches, too, especially after Mobley just put forth a breakout year. But Timpf is right in that Garland and Mitchell really do hold the keys to the offense, and it's up to Kenny Atkinson to ensure that both players are in the roles that suit them best.

This article first appeared on Cleveland Cavaliers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: