During an interview with Melissa Rohlin of Fox Sports, Donovan Mitchell admitted he wanted the Utah Jazz to trade him to the New York Knicks in 2022.
However, the Jazz traded the shooting guard to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Cleveland lost to the Knicks in the first round of the 2023 playoffs. Mitchell and Co. then lost to the Boston Celtics in the 2024 Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Some thought Mitchell would leave the Cavaliers last summer, but the All-Star signed a three-year extension with the franchise.
“It’s been one of the best seasons of my life,” Mitchell said. “I’m glad I’m here. Obviously, it’s no secret: Did I want to go home? I mean, yeah, sure. But coming here, seeing the group we had, understanding what we could continue to build, it wasn’t long before I was like, man, this is special.
“The city of Cleveland has really won me over. I really enjoy being there. It feels like home. That’s my biggest thing. Basketball is going to be basketball. But you spend most of your time there and I feel like it’s home. It feels safe. I feel like I’m at peace. And that’s truly one of the biggest things for me.”
The Cavaliers are the No. 1 seed in the East this year. However, they are down 2-0 to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
“We could sit here and dwell on this, and be home in about four or five days,” Mitchell said after Game 2. “Or we could move on and take some things that we did really well and go from there. I have no doubt that everybody in that locker room is ready for Friday. It sucks, it stings, but we’ve got to go out there and take care of business. Otherwise, that’s it. But I believe in everybody in that locker room. We believe in each other.”
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