Brian Windhorst Says Donovan Mitchell Is As Powerful As Anyone In The NBA, More So Than LeBron Is With The Lakers

WRONG! Source: Me

There's not a fucking chance that Donovan Mitchell has as much power as LeBron James. Oh, Donovan Mitchell didn't like JB Bickerstaff so he got fired? Cool, he can go stand in the Fired Coaches line behind Frank Vogel and Darvin Ham, both of whom LeBron sent packing in LA. And not only does he choose the coach, and the roster, and then get rid of the coach when the roster he selects doesn't mesh.....he also has the Lakers by the balls until they draft his son.

Reminder that Bronny averaged 4.8 ppg for an under .500 team in college last year, and he has health concerns. But the Lakers are about to fucking take him at #17 overall. THAT'S power. 

And yes, Donovan Mitchell has some, too. As he rightfully should! Cleveland is a small market team, and Donovan is a Top.....12? player in the NBA. The fact of the matter is that Cleveland needs Donovan Mitchell wayyyyyyy more than the opposite. Like, if Donovan Mitchell decides he wants to become a Free Agent after next season, the Cavs will trade him, likely to a spot where he wants to go too, as he'll be worth more if he extends somewhere. But if Donovan Mitchell is willing to stay in Cleveland, he'll have his voice heard on literally anything he wants input on. And with the current state of the Cavs, there are plenty of big decisions coming:

1. Hiring a new Head Coach

2. The details of Donovan's next contract

3. How to construct a roster when there's not just one but two duos currently in Cleveland that don't seem to mesh well

The trade machines have been fired up ever since The Athletic dropped a hit piece on the Cavs the moment they lost in the playoffs, and I'd like to think Donovan Mitchell at least has a word in the conversation? If we lose Donovan Mitchell, we're no longer in the conversation of anything regarding championships. But if we make the right decisions in the Jarrett Allen / Evan Mobley and Darius Garland decisions, I legitimately think the Cavs could win a title next year.

Am I crazy with that take? Because I'm 100% serious. I just watched a Boston Celtics team literally walk through the weakest Eastern Conference I can ever remember, and I think they're pretty darn beatable? Like, if the Cavs had a healthy Jarrett Allen and Donovan Mitchell THIS YEAR, I think they definitely win more than the 1 game they already did in that series. Now let's (in my opinion) keep Allen and Mobley, ship off Garland for an elite wing, retain Mitchell, get the right coach, and go beat them next year?

I really believe that -- but that's not the point of this blog. The point of this blog is that Donovan Mitchell should have tons of input this summer. But until he gets his brother a roster spot like Giannis, or until he gets his outside the Top 100 true prospects son drafted in the first round like LeBron, I'd like Windy to calm his tits on saying he's the most powerful player in the NBA.