Donovan Mitchell has been ruled out of the Cleveland Cavaliers Game 4 second-round matchup with the Boston Celtics. The five-time All-Star played 43 minutes in Saturday’s Game 3, however, he has been dealing with a left calf strain. He finished the game with 33 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals while shooting 12-22 from the field, 7-12 from three-point range and 2-3 from the free-throw line. Despite his strong play, it was clear that Mitchell was bothered by the injury.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN announced his absence, tweeting:
Mitchell has been having a strong postseason thus far. In ten games played, he has averaged 29.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.3 blocks per game. He is shooting 47.6% from the field, 35.4% from three-point range and 81.5% from the free-throw line.
Cleveland will need several players to step up their production, if they hope to even up the series. The Cavaliers are averaging just 97.7 points per game this postseason, with Mitchell accounting for more than 30% of their scoring. That mark is the lowest of any team remaining in the postseason and the third-worst mark of any team in the postseason. Only the Miami Heat and New Orleans Pelicans – who were without Jimmy Butler and Zion Williamson, respectively – had less offensive production.
Could Donovan Mitchell be on the move this summer?
Donovan Mitchell has established himself as a legitimate star in the NBA, being named an All-Star in each of the past five seasons. His future with the Cleveland Cavaliers is uncertain. He is expected to decline his $37.1 million player option for 2025-26.
There have been concerns that Mitchell could opt to enter unrestricted free agency rather than re-sign with Cleveland. While the front office is unlikely to recoup the value they gave up to acquire Mitchell two summers ago, they could look to maximize his value by moving him this summer. The seventh-year guard reportedly has the Miami Heat on his list of destinations.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report wrote:
Of all the NBA guards, Mitchell may be the closest to Heat legend and Hall-of-Famer Dwyane Wade. He will be 28 before next season (seven years younger than Butler). He has a strong relationship with Bam Adebayo and is said (by multiple NBA insiders) to have Miami high on his list of destinations. [h/t Bleacher Report]
If Cleveland does move on from Mitchell, they will likely look to get multiple teams involved. Creating a bidding war for the five-time All-Star will likely boost their potential return. That could be easier said than done in an offseason with several stars expected to be available.
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