(Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
This might be the end of the Donovan Mitchell era for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
With the season on the line and a pivotal Game 5 vs. the Boston Celtics, J.B. Bickerstaff likely won’t have his best player on the court on Wednesday night.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Cavaliers are expected to be without Mitchell because of a calf strain (via Up & Adams).
BREAKING: NBA Insider @ShamsCharania says Donovan Mitchell is NOT expected to play tonight in Game 5 of the Cavs-Celtics series @heykayadams | #CLEvsBOS pic.twitter.com/xokfZVBiNR
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) May 15, 2024
Apparently, Mitchell is dealing with a nagging and complicated injury, and the Cavs will play it safely with him.
This is the right call, as calf injuries are quite tricky, and they have led to Achilles injuries in the past.
Mitchell has also been struggling with a knee injury for months, and there’s no clarity as to whether he’s going to require surgery in the offseason or not.
Also, his future with the organization seems to be in peril.
He’s got two years left on his contract and is eligible to sign an extension, but he has never sounded too eager to do so, nor has he committed long-term to the organization.
The Cavs aren’t good enough to compete for an NBA championship, and Mitchell is one of the best scorers in the game, so he shouldn’t have much trouble finding a new home somewhere else.
The front office will have to make a complicated decision in the offseason, which only made keeping him safe and sound all the more important.
And while it might feel like they’re just mailing it in and giving up before the game even starts, they were already in a tough spot tonight at the TD Garden.
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