Proposed trade pairs Damian Lillard with Donovan Mitchell on Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers suffered an early exit from the postseason, courtesy of the New York Knicks. Now, the Cavaliers front office will likely be looking for ways to improve their current rotation as they bid to become a contender in the East.
According to Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley, there is a superstar trade that the Cavaliers should explore. A trade that would land Damian Lillard in Cleveland, pairing him with All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell. While Buckley stopped short of outlining the blueprint of a trade package, he did note that Darius Garland would likely be a centerpiece heading to the Portland Trail Blazers.
"The Cavs may not have Mitchell much longer, so the time for their championship push is now," Buckley wrote. "And for all the growth in Garland's game to this point, he's no Damian Lillard. Very few players are in that class...The formula wouldn't have to change for Cleveland; it would just be turbo-charged by Lillard's arrival.
"Having him and Mitchell in the same backcourt sounds like a cheat code come to life. The Cavs would instantly factor into the championship conversation and maybe drive that discussion if they found the right wing to fill the hole at small forward."
“How good was Damian Lillard had in 2023?”
Me:https://t.co/18S7f5GjfD
Damian Lillard had an exceptional season for the Portland Trail Blazers. In 58 games, he averaged 32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists on 46.3% shooting from the field and 37.1% from deep.
Donovan Mitchell could leave Cleveland Cavaliers
When the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired Donovan Mitchell last summer, they did so by beating the New York Knicks to his signature. When everyone in the world assumed Donovan Mitchell would be heading home, he suddenly found himself in Cleveland.
According to Jason Lloyd of The Atheltic, Donovan Mitchell could look to join the New York Knicks at the end of his current contract.
The clock is speeding up on the Cavs after this embarrassing wipeout in the playoffs. So let’s talk about it. Let’s have the Donovan Mitchell conversation. theathletic.com/4457213/2023/0…
"Mitchell didn’t choose Cleveland," Lloyd wrote. "He was sent here when he thought he was going to New York. Mitchell has been a model teammate during his time here. Nevertheless, talk has persisted in league circles throughout this season that he will indeed go to New York at his first opportunity...Mitchell has two years of team control remaining before a player option year...
"If the Cavs can’t get a commitment from him, they could easily be forced into trading him next summer when he has a year of team control remaining."
As such, the Cleveland Cavaliers pursuing a superstar addition such as Damian Lillard makes sense. After all, winning cures everything. So, if Donovan Mitchell felt he had a better chance to win with the Cavaliers, would he still pine to join the New York Knicks? Or would he stay and be part of one of the most fearsome guard duos in the NBA?
If the Cleveland Cavaliers are serious about building a contender around Donovan Mitchell, then Damian Lillard could be the ideal partner. But for now, both the Cavaliers and Mitchell will continue watching the postseason from home wondering how things could have turned out differently.