Reaction: Donovan Mitchell’s Press Conference (or, Koby Altman’s Gambit)

Today was the official welcome and introduction for newly acquired Cavs’ guard Donovan Mitchell. Here’s some thoughts and reflections regarding this historic moment for the Cleveland Cavaliers’ franchise…

1. The excitement is palpable

The first thing that jumped out about the presser was the excitement and energy of the event. Donovan Mitchell is a certified NBA star, with three All-Star appearances already in a young career as well as a distinguished playoff resumé that shows a player that rises to the occasion when the pressure is greatest. There was a pretty big, if not massive, fan presence to welcome Mitchell to Cleveland, which he said he didn’t expect. The Cavs’ organization carefully crafted the press conference with John Michael as emcee with Koby Altman and Coach J.B. Bickerstaff setting the tone and supporting Mitchell. The overarching message from Mitchell and the Cavs was: “We’re excited to get to work.”

2. Name dropping…

Another thing that stood out about the presser was who was there. Darius Garland and Caris LeVert were front row to support their new teammate. It’s great to see the playmaking guards bond together, especially since it’s this trio that will be setting the tone for the offense especially come playoff time. In a bit of foreshadowing, DG and Mitchell linked up in Miami for a pro am back in July:

One of the great moments of the press conference was Mitchell talking about working out with DG, paying massive respect to DG’s shotmaking abilities. Mitchell said DG’s shooting abilities inspires him to compete to be a better shooter. Having someone to compete against and with seems to be a genuine motivation for Mitchell on how to continue to get better as a player. It’s the type of response that’s got to make J.B. Bickerstaff beam with joy as a basketball coach. Also of note, Mitchell keeps it very close to the vest with his entourage consisting of his mother and agent. The way Mitchell speaks about his mom is very heartwarming, she must be so proud of who he’s become.

3. Mitchell didn’t shy away from the media storm

Donovan faced the media scrutiny head-on regarding his desire and expectation that he was going to be traded to the New York Knicks. The reason why he wanted to play for New York was because his mom lives in New York and he wants her to be able to see him play. But at the end of the day Mitchell said that he wants to win and Cleveland gives him the best chance to do that, especially compared to the Knicks’ flame out this season. He also talked about how he grew up a Cavs’ fan because of one LeBron James. He was actually a student sitting in the crowd with LeBron during “The Decision” which is a hilarious twist of fate, one could suppose. Mitchell paid homage to the Cavs’ championship legacy and mentioned that he’s friends with a few baseball players and football players who play in Ohio.

Donovan’s eyes really lit up talking about Ricky Rubio, who’s obviously become a cult favorite in Cleveland. J.B. and Koby both mentioned that they did their homework and had a lot of prior connections to Mitchell. They both went on record saying that character fit was a primary consideration, and Mitchell passed that test in spades.

Another funny tidbit about the media firestorm was Mitchell confirming our friend Brian Windhorst’s report about Donovan golfing when he heard the news of the trade, and the subsequent celebration on the course after finding out that DG, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen were staying. Windhorst was in Cleveland apparently to collect his “W”:

Something WAS going on with the Jazz 😂 🕷️ @spidadmitchell | @WindhorstESPN pic.twitter.com/HNGUBmdwPF

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) September 14, 2022

4. A veteran leader with playoff experience

When the panel was peppered with questions about what Mitchell brings to the Cavs organization, Altman cited Mitchell’s 39 playoff appearances and never missing the NBA playoffs in his entire career. When Mitchell was asked to speak on it, he talked about how he’s one of the elder statesman at the tender age of 26. He also talked about how he understands the details of the game in the playoffs, hoping to impart that wisdom on the young core. He talked about how he learned leadership from Ricky Rubio. It’s apparent that this is Mitchell’s team now in terms how to navigate winning big in the NBA, that’s why Koby Altman brought him on board. He clearly believes that the Cavs with himself is a championship caliber squad. He also self-aware enough to say that champions on paper mean nothing, it’s about putting in the work to become a great team.

5. Koby Altman’s Gambit

After reflecting on this move since it happen, what it really boils down to is Altman going with a known quantity in Donovan Mitchell rather than the unknown future of Collin Sexton and three draft picks. Ironically, one could argue it was a conservative, risk-averse route Altman took to the roster construction. Including the third pick hurt, but credit to Altman for going big and securing a deal for a top 20 player in the prime of his career on a long term deal.

Another aspect of the deal which is easy to love is how Mitchell’s temperament seems to complement the core of DG, Mobley, and Allen. Mitchell won’t stymie their growth as players. He’s all about winning and has shown some great team basketball with the Jazz especially over the last few years during the height of their run. As Mitchell said in his presser a few times, what’s going to determine the success of the marriage is how they overcome adversity and the “bad times.” In order to be a truly great team, experiencing heart break is an essential part of the growth process towards an NBA championship. It was a great response from him and it just goes to show that the Cavs are getting a laser-focused Donovan Mitchell to start their journey together.

6. Chip on his shoulder

The lasting impression of Mitchell’s presser was how excited he is to bounce back from last season’s ugly ending. He played one of his worse playoff series in his career. His defense stunk and he wasn’t efficient scoring the ball. You can tell it eats at him. He made it known he’s extremely unhappy with the way last season ended and a focus was how to improve his game and learn from the past. Get excited Cavs’ fans, this could be something for the history books…. Go Cavs!