LeBron James is officially a Philadelphia 76er, and the reason he’s not back in Cleveland for a third stint with the Cavaliers is crystal clear: Donovan Mitchell. James reportedly did not like the prospect of playing with Mitchell while evaluating his offseason free agency decision. He ended up joining the 76ers, making them his chosen “title-winning team” instead of Cleveland.
LeBron’s Cleveland Dream Didn’t Include Mitchell
This wasn’t some minor preference either. Two major decisions by the Cavaliers reportedly turned James away from a homecoming. LeBron would have preferred playing with Darius Garland and Jaylen Brown. According to Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson, if the Cavs still had Garland and traded Mitchell for Brown, “there’s a good chance that LeBron James would be in Cleveland today next to Garland, Jaylen Brown, and Evan Mobley.” We even saw LeBron’s disapproval of the Garland-Harden trade made clear by Rich Paul’s infamous whiteboard, where Garland’s absence was a definite negative. Cleveland had swapped Garland for James Harden in February, further cementing their path away from LeBron’s ideal roster.
Cleveland Bet Big on Mitchell, No Regrets?
The Cavaliers, on their end, made their commitment to Donovan Mitchell loud and clear, even if it meant losing a chance at LeBron. Trading Garland for Harden, then extending Mitchell on a massive four-year, $273 million deal, shows exactly how the Cavs view Mitchell: their franchise cornerstone. For them, trading Mitchell for Brown was an “untenable thought,” even if LeBron might have accepted Brown’s absence if Garland was still on the roster. The problem, as the reports confirm, was that both Mitchell and Garland were “undersized score-first guards” with a “stylistic crossover.” Harden, by contrast, came in as a “pass-first point guard.” Last season, Mitchell averaged 27.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.7 assists, leading the Cavs to the Eastern Conference Finals. Now, with LeBron gone and no major offseason additions, Mitchell will have to seriously step his game up in a more competitive Eastern Conference.
LeBron’s move is a massive shake-up, expected to create over a $400 million impact in Philadelphia. The Cavs made their choice, and now it’s on Mitchell to prove it was the right one. This isn’t just about a team anymore, it’s about a clear direction for the entire Eastern Conference.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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