Donovan Mitchell Rumors

Eastern Notes: Ware, Cavs Injuries, Shead, White

November 11th, 2025 at 6:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Heat second-year big man Kel’el Ware had 14 points and a career-high 20 rebounds in 34 minutes while making his third straight start in place of the injured Bam Adebayo on Monday. The Heat pulled out an overtime win over Cleveland and coach Erik Spoelsta heaped praise on Ware.

“That’s the best game he’s played in a Miami Heat uniform,” Spoelstra said, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “I don’t care what the stats are. I know he had 20 rebounds. But those efforts on the glass were incredible. And he was reliable defensively. He was with it. He was in the right spots. (Evan) Mobley made a couple great shots, but Kel’el was there. He was there, doing the right thing.”

The Heat have won all three games Ware has filled in for Adebayo.

“I feel like that’s something they always wanted to see,” he said. “They’ve been wanting to see it from me. It feels [good] to see them encouraging me on that end and proud of me for bringing that out.”

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

The Cavaliers will be missing three starters in their rematch against Miami on Wednesday, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com tweets. Darius Garland (injury management — left big toe), Donovan Mitchell (rest) and Evan Mobley (rest) are listed as out. Larry Nance Jr. (knee contusion) is listed as questionable.
Jamal Shead has continued to give the Raptors a reliable playmaker off the bench in his second season, Michael Grange of Sportnet writes. “He’s able to do a lot of things,” forward Brandon Ingram said. “We know what he can do on the defensive end, but he’s able to attack the paint, he’s always searching for guys. He knows he’s playing with scorers, so when he gets the ball, he’s trying to attack, and he always knows where guys are.” In 10 games, Shead is averaging 6.4 points and 5.0 assists, compared to 1.1 turnovers, in 17.4 minutes per game. He’s making $1,955,377 this season and Toronto holds a club option on his contract for next season.
Coby White (strained right calf) made it through a practice on Monday with the Windy City Bulls, their G League affiliate. White, who has yet to make his season debut, could return at some point during the Bulls’ upcoming road trip, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times reports. He won’t play on Wednesday when they visit Detroit. ‘‘Everything that I heard was that it went well,’’ head coach Billy Donovan said. ‘‘I think the biggest thing is always trying to find out the next day how it went. The plan right now . . . would be to get back into practice with us when we get back from Detroit. We’ll have three days. One of those days, we’ll certainly have contact. The plan is to get him into that practice pretty extensively.’’

Cade Cunningham, Nikola Jokic Named Players Of Week

November 10th, 2025 at 2:53pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pistons guard Cade Cunningham has been named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week, while Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has been chosen as the Western Conference Player of the Week, according to the NBA (Twitter links).

Cunningham led Detroit to four consecutive wins during the week of November 3-9 while averaging 31.0 points and 9.8 assists per game on 54.7% shooting. This marks the second time in his career that Cunningham has received a Player of the Week award.

Jokic also led his team to a 4-0 week, with home victories over Sacramento, Miami, Golden State, and Indiana. The three-time MVP averaged a triple-double, with 31.3 points, 13.3 assists, and 11.3 rebounds per contest. His biggest game of the week came last Wednesday against the Heat, when he racked up 33 points, 16 assists, 15 rebounds, and three steals.

Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks), Jalen Duren (Pistons), Kon Knueppel (Hornets), Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers), Norman Powell (Heat) and Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks) were the other Eastern Conference nominees.

Devin Booker (Suns), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder), Trey Murphy III (Pelicans), Julius Randle (Timberwolves) and Alperen Sengun (Rockets) were also nominated in the West.

Central Notes: Garland, Beasley, Pacers, Rivers

November 7th, 2025 at 3:19pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Cavaliers enjoyed their most productive offensive night of the season on Wednesday as they welcomed back Darius Garland, writes Joe Reedy of The Associated Press. Garland returned in a victory over Philadelphia after missing the team’s first seven games while recovering from surgery in June on his left big toe. He contributed eight points and four assists in 26 minutes as Cleveland erupted for 132 points.

“Seeing the ball go through the hoop, passing the ball to 45 (Donovan Mitchell), Ev (Evan Mobley) and JA (Jarrett Allen) for sure,” Garland responded when asked what he missed while he was sidelined. “It was great to be back with the teammates. Being around them makes me happy.”

Reedy points out that the Cavs, who led the league in offensive rating last season at 121.0, were fifth-worst heading into Wednesday at 111.3. Coach Kenny Atkinson said the offense has been “clunky” because several players were forced into roles they aren’t used to.

Mitchell, who finished with a season-best 46 points, also recognizes the value of having Garland on the court.

“You have a guy that can initiate, get the easy shots and make everyone’s job easier,” he said. “When you have a guy who’s an All-Star, you have to pay attention where he’s at. When you know you have a guy out there that can create, it puts everyone at ease.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

There’s mutual interest in a reunion between the Pistons and Malik Beasley, assuming he’s eventually cleared in a federal gambling investigation, sources tell Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. Siegel points out that Javonte Green‘s contract only carries a partial guarantee (currently $925,106), so he could easily be waived to make room for Beasley. Siegel also hears that the Cavaliers, who are carrying an open roster spot, still have interest in signing Beasley to bolster their outside shooting. A report on Wednesday stated that Beasley has received interest from teams overseas as well.
Despite a 1-7 start and a slew of injuries, the Pacers aren’t expected to become major sellers going into the trade deadline, Siegel adds. Indiana is focused on “financial positioning” and keeping a competitive roster together for Tyrese Haliburton‘s expected return next season. Siegel says it would be surprising if the team is willing to part with Andrew Nembhard, T.J. McConnell or Aaron Nesmith.
Doc Rivers’ reliance on an all-bench units has been a surprising part of the Bucks‘ early success, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Rivers has played lineups that feature no starters against units with at least one starter more than any other coach in the league.

Central Notes: Bulls, Giddey, Robinson-Earl, Mitchell

November 1st, 2025 at 8:21pm CST by Arthur Hill

Isaac Okoro saw plenty of the Bulls‘ relentless fast-paced attack while playing for the division rival Cavaliers, so he’s glad he doesn’t have to defend against it anymore, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times (subscription required). Chicago has been exhausting opponents and putting up huge scoring numbers on its way to a 5-0 start.

“It wears you out throughout the game,” Okoro said. “I remember when I was in Cleveland last year and we were playing here, it was like, ‘The Bulls are going to play fast, just try and slow them down in transition.’ But that pace really gets to you. It gets you fatigued by the fourth quarter and then you lose your legs, your shot starts coming up short, and now being here now, playing with that pace and seeing teams fold by the fourth quarter, you see the legs go. You see the hands start going on the knees, and that’s what you want to see. You want to see the opponent tired because that’s when you start killing them.”

Cowley notes that the up-tempo style has become more effective because the Bulls are getting an enormous scoring contribution from their reserves. After ranking 14th in bench points last season with 36 per game, Chicago has moved up to second at 49 PPG. He adds that those numbers could increase further when Coby White and Zach Collins recover from early-season injuries.

There’s more from the Central Division:

Josh Giddey‘s long contract standoff was the Bulls‘ top story of the summer, but so far his new deal looks like a bargain, observes Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic. Giddey posted a career-high 32 points Friday night, along with 10 rebounds and nine assists, and Lorenzi states that he has taken full control of the offense in his second season with Chicago. “Being in a place where, obviously the contract stuff is out the way now, that’s off my back this season,” Giddey said. “I’m in a place where I’m wanted. I love being here. I’m happy here. Having confidence from your teammates and your coaches to trust me to go out there and make plays. That’s what you need as a player.”
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl was headed for the G League before Obi Toppin‘s injury gave him a path to join the Pacers, according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Robinson-Earl said he’s “grateful for the opportunity” after signing a 10-day hardship contract earlier today. “He’s proven and shown to be an adaptable guy,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “Over the last day and a half since he’s been here, he’s picked things up very quickly. He’s a very fundamentally sound player. He shoots it, he passes it, he makes the right play. Knows who he is as a player and plays to his strengths.”
Donovan Mitchell joined the Cavaliers‘ growing injury list for Friday’s loss to Toronto. He sat out the game with left hamstring tightness, per The Associated Press, joining Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and Max Strus on the sidelines.

Cavaliers Notes: Merrill, Mitchell, Garland

October 28th, 2025 at 8:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Weighed down by salary cap concerns, the Cavaliers made Sam Merrill a priority in free agency. They re-signed him to a team-friendly four-year, $38MM contract. The early returns have been very promising, notes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). After Sunday’s win over Milwaukee, coach Kenny Atkinson has “probably been our best player over the first three games.”

“Guys just love playing with him,” Atkinson said. “He’s a winner. That’s why we gave him a nice contract this offseason. If there’s ever a guy that deserved it, he’s the guy.”

Merrill has been starting in the early going. Last season, Merrill averaged 7.2 points on 40.6% from the field and 37.2% from 3-point range.

“When you’re in a position that I have been in, it’s you want to almost know your place type of thing,” Merrill said. “But having been with these guys for three or four years, we all have trust in each other, and we all listen to each other. I’m not out here pretending I’m a 10-time All-Star or anything. But I know guys trust in what I have to say and as long as everyone is on the same page and having that trust in being accountable, I guess anyone can say what they need to say.”

Merrill only played 18 minutes at Detroit on Monday due to a hip injury.

“He’s hurting,” Atkinson said, per Spencer Davies of Clutch Points. “When Sam can’t come back in the game, it’s [painful]. I think Evan [Mobley] actually hit him in the hip. Somehow they [collided].”

We have more on the Cavaliers:

Atkinson believes Donovan Mitchell is underappreciated on a national basis. Mitchell tore up the Pistons with 35 points on the second game of a back-to-back. “I think he’s underrated,” Atkinson said. “First Team All-NBA, I don’t know why people don’t talk about him more. Because he’s no controversy, low-key, humble? Does that equal, you get underrated because of that personality? I don’t know.”
Guard Darius Garland was assigned to the G League’s Cleveland Charge for conditioning purposes, according to the NBA transactions log at RealGM.com. Garland is working his way back from offseason toe surgery. Mitchell’s backcourt partner in the middle of a five-year contract and his salary carries a cap hit of $39,446,090 this season.
Merrill, who has been diagnosed with a right hip contusion, won’t play against the Celtics on Wednesday, Souichi Terada of Masslive.com relays. Garland also remains listed as out.

Cavaliers Notes: Strus, Merrill, Wade, Tyson, Hunter, Ball

August 31st, 2025 at 5:30pm CST by Rory Maher

In a subscriber-only mailbag for Cleveland.com, Chris Fedor states that Max Strus was slated to be the Cavaliers‘ starting small forward this fall prior to suffering a Jones fracture in his left foot last week. The injury required surgery and will sideline Strus for multiple months.

Fedor cautions that while the team gave a three-to-four month timeline for Strus to return to basketball activities, his actual absence will likely extend beyond that period. As Fedor observes, Jones fractures can be tricky and slow to heal, plus the Cavaliers typically take a cautious approach to injuries — it’s possible Strus might end up missing about half of the season.

Here’s more on the Cavaliers:

Strus isn’t the only starter likely to be out to open 2025/26, Fedor notes, as All-Star point guard Darius Garland is still recovering from offseason toe surgery after being hobbled by the injury in the postseason. Sam Merrill, who re-signed with the Cavs on a four-year, $38MM deal this summer, is the “most obvious” player who needs to step up with Garland and Strus out, according to Fedor, who says the former second-round pick (60th overall in 2020) will likely be a replacement starter.
It will take a team effort to cover for Strus and Garland during their absences. Veteran forward Dean Wade and second-year guard Jaylon Tyson are among the other players who should get more opportunities, Fedor writes, with Wade perhaps slotting in as the fifth starter. Head coach Kenny Atkinson may prefer to have De’Andre Hunter in a sixth man role to have more scoring punch off the bench, Fedor adds.
According to Fedor, Tyson may be the biggest X-factor for the rotation, because the team had already planned him give him more run prior to Strus’ injury. The 2024 first-round pick (20th overall) will have a real chance to carve out minutes if he plays well, as Atkinson is high on him and is curious to see how he’ll mesh with the “core four” of Donovan Mitchell, Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen once Garland returns.
Offseason trade acquisition Lonzo Ball is another player who will fit into the rotation, Fedor writes. However, it remains to be seen how active the 27-year-old guard will be. After missing two-plus years with a knee injury, Ball played surprisingly well in his return to action in ’24/25, but he was limited to just 35 games due to multiple wrist injuries.

And-Ones: ESPN Panel, Top SGs, Lundberg, Hayes-Davis

August 25th, 2025 at 6:18pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Spurs and Hawks are considered the co-favorites to make the biggest leap in the NBA during the upcoming season, according to a panel of ESPN Insiders.

The panel made its predictions on a wide variety of topics, including the team most likely to make a big move before the trade deadline (the Warriors received the most votes) and the next superstar to request a trade (Zion Williamson was the top vote-getter).

Here’s more from around the international basketball world:

Anthony Edwards tops the list of shooting guards ranked by The Athletic’s Zach Harper. Devin Booker and Donovan Mitchell fill out tier one — players who are potential MVP candidates — in “The Bounce’s Top 40 Shooting Guards.” Desmond Bane, Klay Thompson, Bradley Beal and Zach LaVine comprised the second tier as players “who can take over” a game.
Gabriel ‘Iffe’ Lundberg won’t return to Serbia’s Partizan Belgrade, according to Sportando. The Danish guard, according to a TeleSport report, has drawn interest from both Zenit St. Petersburg and Olympiacos. Lundberg had a brief stay in the NBA, playing four games with Phoenix during the 2021/22 season.
Tel Aviv’s owner Ofer Yannay had a verbal agreement this offseason with Nigel Hayes-Davis in the event that the free agent forward couldn’t find an NBA contract. Hayes-Davis, who played in Turkey last season, wound up signing a one-year deal with the Suns. “We were sure we were bringing Nigel Hayes-Davis. We were sure it was happening. He had an option to go to the NBA, and he basically said, ‘I’ll try to get a contract in the NBA, and if I don’t, I’ll come to you,’” Yannay said, per Eurohoops.net.

Cavs’ Atkinson Talks Garland’s Recovery, Point Guard Plan, More

August 5th, 2025 at 8:49am CST by Luke Adams

Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland said on Saturday that he feels “great” in the wake of June toe surgery, but that doesn’t mean the team is counting on having him available when training camp begins this fall. Reporting at the time of Garland’s surgery indicated he would likely miss the start of the season, and head coach Kenny Atkinson confirmed to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required) that he doesn’t expect Garland to be fully healthy when the club reconvenes this fall.

“That’s not a medical opinion. That’s just my sense of this,” Atkinson said during an appearance at Garland’s celebrity softball game in Eastlake. “Under-promise and over-deliver. We’re not going to rush or push this. If he is ready, then great. I will rely on (trainer) Steve (Spiro) and Darius to tell me. But I don’t expect that.”

Atkinson told Fedor that Garland has approached his rehab process “really well” and is focused on strength training until he’s able to run again. The Cavs’ head coach also expressed confidence in the point guard alternatives he’ll have on hand while his starter is on the shelf, even after Ty Jerome departed Cleveland for Memphis in free agency.

“We have Don (Donovan Mitchell). We have Lonzo (Ball). We have CP (Craig Porter Jr.),” Atkinson said. “We are kind of covered. We also have Evan (Mobley), where we can throw it to him in a trail position and have him be a play-maker.”

Pointing out that tinkering with his lineups will likely result in the Cavs learning some things about their players that they otherwise wouldn’t figure out, Atkinson suggested he’ll welcome the opportunity to problem-solve and find the silver lining in Garland’s early-season absence.

“I hate that this injury happened to Darius, but it allows you to start figuring out things for the times he is not available,” Atkinson said. “Last year in the playoffs it just hit us and maybe we weren’t as prepared as we could have been. If we have to play games without him, this will allow us to kind of experiment a little and see if we can find play-making in other places.”

The Cavaliers’ coach also acknowledged that managing playing time for Garland and other key players over the course of the season will be something the team seriously consider after the roster was hit hard by injuries in the 2025 postseason.

“I think that is the plan for the whole roster,” Atkinson said. “How do we become a more durable team? We are going into round two (of the playoffs) and we have 14 guys healthy, that’s the goal. We had a plan in place, but I think we have to do better when it comes to figuring that out. It’s a hard part of my job too.”

Fred VanVleet Elected New NBPA President

July 12th, 2025 at 7:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

7:00 pm: According to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (Twitter link), the other members of the Executive Committee are as follows:

Grant Williams, first vice president.
Mason Plumlee, secretary-treasurer.
Jaylen Brown, vice president.
Jaren Jackson Jr., vice president.
Donovan Mitchell, vice president.
Garrett Temple, vice president.
Karl-Anthony Towns, vice president.
Gabe Vincent, vice president.

6:01 pm: The National Basketball Players Association has elected Rockets guard Fred VanVleet as its new president, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). VanVleet will replace CJ McCollum and will serve a four-year term.

VanVleet, 31, has earned tremendous respect from his peers during his nine-year NBA career. He was one of the veteran players Ime Udoka brought in to help change the culture when he took over as head coach in Houston two years ago.

VanVleet was a beloved figure in Toronto before switching teams and played a vital role in bringing the city its only NBA title in 2019. He recently signed a two-year, $50MM deal to remain in Houston, and Charania notes that he has set several records for being the highest-paid undrafted player in league history (Twitter link).

With the expiration of his four-year term, McCollum will take on an advisory position with union, Charania adds. His time in office included a landmark Collective Bargaining Agreement in 2023 that introduced the two-apron system and ensures labor peace through the 2029/30 season.

Cavs More Willing To Discuss Garland, Allen Trades Than In Past?

May 29th, 2025 at 9:41am CST by Luke Adams

After the Cavaliers squeaked past Orlando in the first round of the 2024 playoffs and were defeated soundly by Boston in round two, there was a good deal of offseason speculation about the idea of breaking up their “core four” of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. However, Cleveland’s front office stuck with that group and was rewarded for its faith with a 15-game winning streak to open the season and a 64-18 overall record.

Unfortunately for the Cavaliers, the major step forward they took during the regular season didn’t carry over to the playoffs. After sweeping Miami in round one, the Cavs were eliminated in five games by the Pacers in the conference semifinals earlier this month. Now, with Cleveland’s payroll set to soar past the second tax apron in 2025/26, the team is once again facing difficult roster decisions.

In the latest episode of the Wine and Gold podcast (YouTube link), Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com said he believes the Cavs are still “committed to the core four” and would like to find a way to surround those four players with the “right pieces to compete for a championship.” But Fedor acknowledged that the Cavs’ cap situation and early playoff exit mean they’ll have to keep an open mind this offseason.

“They prefer to keep the core four together and see if they can build around them and find the right pieces around them, and see if there’s a viable way to do that, given the limitations that come with being a luxury-tax team and a second-apron team,” Fedor said. “In saying that, I think the two untouchables are Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley.

“I have been getting the sense that the Cavs would be more willing to entertain and at least consider possibilities for Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland than they have in the past.

“Now, that all comes down to it’s got to be the right deal. It’s got to be the right pieces coming back that the Cavs believe would be a step forward, as opposed to just a lateral move or a step back. I don’t think they’re in a situation where they’re saying to themselves, ‘We’ve got to shed this salary. We need to find a dumping ground for Darius Garland’s contract or Jarrett Allen’s contract.'”

As Fedor points out, the conference rival Celtics decided to build around Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown and adjusted their core around those players in order to eventually win a title. In Cleveland, it sounds like Mitchell and Mobley are the two cornerstones, and while Garland and Allen could stick around too, their long-term future with the franchise is less certain.

Fedor added that he has been kicking around the idea of hypothetical trades involving Garland rather than Allen in his own work because he believes the market would be hotter for Garland and the Cavs could get more in a deal for him than they could for Allen.

“I’m not saying that the Cavs are going to go down this road,” Fedor continued. “But they’re going to get to a point where they’re going to have to balance out the roster a little bit more than what it is, and they’re going to have to balance the checkbook a little bit more than what it is.

“Nobody that you’re going to get back is going to be Darius in terms of pedigree, in terms of talent. He’s a two-time All-Star for a reason. He’s a max-contract player for a reason. He’s one of the best young point guards in the Eastern Conference for a reason. So are you going to get that back? No. But can you reconfigure your roster? Can you restructure your salary cap by using Darius and find multiple players?”

If the Cavaliers were to trade Garland, Fedor notes, it could mean a bigger ball-handling role for Mitchell and possibly running the offense through Mobley more often. If a deal sheds some salary and creates more spending flexibility to bring back Ty Jerome, he’s another player who could see his ball-handling responsibilities increase.

Fedor repeatedly acknowledges that a trade involving Garland or Allen this offseason is far from a given, but points out that the NBA’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement doesn’t make it viable to operate over the second apron for long unless you’re winning titles.

“When you’re at a point that the Cavs are at with their roster, with the way the season ended earlier than anybody expected, and with their salary cap situation, you have to start considering some of these alternatives,” Fedor said. “And you have to start having very difficult conversations, conversations that are going to be painful. Maybe even subtractions for the roster that are going to be painful.”