"I can sit here and get mad or use it as fuel" - Donovan Mitchell gets real about his conference final aspirations
Cleveland Cavaliers star guard Donovan Mitchell recently gave his honest thoughts about not making the conference final entering his eighth year in the NBA. Mitchell has made the playoffs every year since entering the league, including three conference semifinal appearances in 2018, 2021 and 2024.
Speaking on Carmelo Anthony's "7PM in Brooklyn" podcast, Mitchell views himself as a top player in the league, possibly in the Top 10 or Top 15.
He acknowledged that he has not made a conference final in his career, something that the Cavaliers have a chance to do this upcoming season.
"Realistically, I look at myself as one of the top 10, top 15 players in this league but I haven't made it to a conference finals. So in order for me to make that jump, I can sit here and get mad and use it as fuel but I can't get mad cause it's an accolades-based world we live in. Whether it's right, wrong or indifferent, for whatever reason, it's just what it is," Mitchell said.
Donovan Mitchell has not missed the playoffs since entering the NBA in 2017 as part of the Utah Jazz. Mitchell reached the Western Conference Finals twice with the Jazz, losing to the Houston Rockets in 2018 and the LA Clippers in 2021. They were simply overmatched against the Rockets, losing in five games.
It was a different story in 2021 since they were the No. 1 seed back then and the Clippers lost Kawhi Leonard to an injured knee in Game 4. But instead of taking advantage of Leonard's absence, they allowed the Clippers to gain momentum and beat them in six games.
The Cleveland Cavaliers then acquired him in the summer of 2022, making the postseason in his first two years there.
The Cavs were back in the second round last season but ran into eventual NBA champions the Boston Celtics. Mitchell missed the final two games of the series due to a calf injury as Cleveland was eliminated after Game 5.
Donovan Mitchell signs extension with Cleveland Cavaliers
One of the biggest questions surrounding Donovan Mitchell in the offseason was his future with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Mitchell had two years left in his contract but has a player option for the 2025–26 NBA season. He was linked to teams such as the New York Knicks and LA Lakers as possible trade destinations.
However, the Cavaliers and Mitchell agreed to a three-year extension worth around $150.3 million back in July. He will have a player option for the 2027–28 NBA season, which means he'll be in Cleveland for at least three more seasons before another potential extension.
The Cavs are coming off a successful season wherein they finished in the Top 4 of the Eastern Conference and were unfortunate to face the Boston Celtics in the second round. They didn't make any significant changes to the roster since injuries slowed them last season.