Donovan Mitchell embracing a lower workload has helped everyone
Mitchell accepting his role is a big reason why the Cavs are 17-1.
Donovan Mitchell has played a career-high minutes per game in each of the last two years with the Cleveland Cavaliers. In his debut season with the Cavs he played 35.8 minutes per game and last season it was around the same at 35.3.
Additionally, Mitchell’s usage percentage was inside the top ten in the league in both seasons (32.2% in 2022-23 and 32.4% in 2023-24). He also averaged 79.1 touches per game last season, which put him inside the top 15 in the NBA.
Mitchell’s high workload has led to him breaking down in the postseason, a time when he should be playing his best basketball. In 2023, he underperformed against the New York Knicks and had one of the worst postseason series in his career.
In 2024, he flipped the switch and willed the Cavs through the first round, but he was battling knee pain the entire postseason and suffered a season-ending calf strain against the Boston Celtics in the second round.
In order for the Cavs to be at their best come April, they need their franchise player to be peaking at the right time. They have taken the proper measures to ensure that this season.
Mitchell’s minutes per game are a career low this season at 31.2. In Cleveland’s 18 games thus far, he has only played more than 35 minutes once. At the same point last year, he played more than 35 minutes eight times. Head coach Kenny Atkinson has said that he wants to celebrate the team’s depth this season and with the Cavs’ bench being seventh in bench scoring in the league, this has allowed Mitchell to rest more in games.
Atkinson also said he wants to make Mitchell’s life easier on offense this season and he has done just that. While Mitchell’s usage is still at 31.4%, his touches per game are down all the way to 57.7. He’s one of three Cavaliers averaging at least 55 touches per game, with Evan Mobley and Darius Garland being the other two.
In addition to that, Mitchell has been more of an off-ball player for the Cavs this year and he has done so with no hesitation. He is shooting 3.1 catch-and-shoot threes per game this year and is knocking down 50.9% of them. He has also made it a point to empower Mobley to be more aggressive and has completely bought into his growth.
Mitchell’s smaller, but more efficient workload has been an underrated storyline in the Cavs’ 17-1 start. With their eye on success in the summer months of 2025, they could stand to benefit from this change.