Cavaliers Announce Concerning Donovan Mitchell News on Thursday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Dec 18, 2025 6:31 PM ET

Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers are coming off back-to-back losses. They suffered a 119-111 overtime defeat against Charlotte Hornets on Sunday, followed by a 127-111 loss at the hands of the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.

The good news for the Cavs is that they will get an opportunity to make amends on Friday in a rematch against the Bulls. However, Cleveland could be without their best player for that contest after Mitchell suddenly popped up on the injury report on Thursday. This concerning development has cast some doubt on the six-time All-Star’s status for Friday’s home game against Chicago.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell during an NBA game. © Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Mitchell is now in his fourth season with the Cavs. He’s played in 26 out of the team’s 28 games this term, averaging 30.7 points on 49.3% shooting, to go along with 4.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.4 steals in 34.4 minutes per contest. Mitchell is currently leading the league in three-pointers per game, knocking down 4.0 a night on a 38.3% clip.

Mitchell, however, is now in danger of missing his third game of the season. This is after the Cavs announced via the official injury report that the two-time All-NBA guard is nursing an illness. He has been listed as questionable to play against the Bulls on Friday.

Mitchell appears to be headed to the sidelines for Cleveland’s next game, but the team should be able to confirm his final status closer to tip-off. If he ends up sitting out, Mitchell’s next chance to play would be on Monday against the Charlotte Hornets.

However, depending on the severity of his illness, this development could also lead to a multiple-game absence for Mitchell, which would be a cause for concern for the team.

The Cavaliers enter Friday’s matchup against the Bulls with a 15-13 record. They are ninth in the Eastern Conference.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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