Cavs' Tristan Thompson sounds off on Donovan Mitchell slight
Yesterday at 01:01 PM
The 2024-25 NBA preseason general manager survey is out, and surprisingly, a certain Cleveland Cavaliers superstar was missing. In the 50-question poll, the NBA executives addressed numerous topics, including the best teams, players, coaches, and offseason moves. NBA general managers were prohibited from voting for their team or personnel. One of the topics, the best shooting guard in the NBA, was shocking since Cavs superstar Donovan Mitchell was excluded from the list. It even frustrated some of Mitchell’s teammates – like veteran big man Tristan Thompson.
"The GMs did it," Thompson asked the media after Cleveland’s shootaround. "Just use it as motivation. Kick they a–, you know? 'You didn't put me on the list. I'm going to use it as motivation.' Just kick everyone's a– and when the GMs have their golf shirts on, just walk by and be like … just hold it down.
"There are 30 teams. Let's say there are, what, four guys just as good as him? So, that's like 25 other guys he is better than. So, 25 of you GMs, I'm better than your best player that you guys are probably paying the same amount of money or paying less and probably stuck with him because you can't trade him because they're not good enough, whereas Donovan is really good. Donovan is a top 5 two-guard, easily.
"Sounds like they have a problem. Sounds like they have been making bad decisions."
Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards, the top vote-getter in the category, getting 33% of the vote. Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker, who was No. 1 last year, finished second behind Edwards. Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who usually plays point guard, came in third. Like Gilgeous-Alexander, Golden State Warriors star point guard Stephen Curry and Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic rounded out the top 5.
Finally, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White of the Boston Celtics fell into the category of "others receiving votes." Mitchell wasn't even on that list.
Were NBA general managers wrong about Cavs superstar Donovan Mitchell?
While it’s understandable that Edwards or Booker would receive consideration as the league’s best shooting guard, the NBA’s general managers were foolish to overlook Mitchell. Last season, Mitchell averaged 26.6 points on 46.2% from the field and 36.8% from 3-point range to go with career-bests in assists (6.1), rebounds (5.1), steals (1.8) and blocks (0.5). If Mitchell hadn’t missed so much time due to injury, he would’ve earned All-NBA honors and might’ve been in the league MVP conversation.
"You only need one to love you, and Koby Altman loves you," Thompson said, referring to Cavs President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman.
Since Mitchell came to Cleveland, the Cavs have won 99 regular-season games in the last two years and five playoff games under Mitchell. More impressively, with Mitchell, the Cavs made the Eastern Conference Playoffs and Eastern Conference Semifinals for the first time without LeBron James since the 1997-98 season and 1992-93 season, respectively. Moreover, Mitchell believes this Cavs team can push for a championship, something James has been able to carry Cleveland to.
"There's always another level," Mitchell said. "You feel that, and going against them, you walk off the floor against Boston feeling like, all right, (Boston's great). But I don't think we're far away."
Mitchell believes in what he can accomplish with the Cavs and committed to them long-term this summer. But since NBA executives don’t think he’s one of the league’s best, Mitchell has to prove it. Cleveland kicks off its 2024-25 campaign on the road against the Toronto Raptors. Expect Mitchell to let everyone know what they haven’t been seeing from the Cavs.
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