The Cleveland Cavaliers have fallen into a troubling 2-0 hole against the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. Most teams are never able to recover from that, but Cavaliers fans are holding onto the dream of a rebound.
If they are going to turn things around, they’ll need Donovan Mitchell to look like the seven-time All-Star that he is. Lately, something has seemed off about Mitchell, and no one is entirely sure why.
Speaking on The Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show, Jason Lloyd spoke about Mitchell and highlighted worries about him. As an important offseason approaches, people are wondering what’s bothering Mitchell.
“He just does not look like himself. He has not looked like much of himself for much of these playoffs. I have no good answer; I don’t know what’s going on. But there’s a lot of big conversations coming up this summer about his future,” Lloyd said.
Donovan Mitchell says he's not hurt. He says he's not tired. So if that's the case — why does something look off?@ByJasonLloyd & @AkronJackson weigh in on if the #Cavs can come back and beat the Knicks if Spida isn't at his best. pic.twitter.com/3IdBfqvPLH
— Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show (@ultCLEsports) May 22, 2026
It’s hard to describe because, on paper, Mitchell has been playing well. He has averaged 25.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game during the playoffs. But many fans have commented on certain elements of his game, noting that he doesn’t look like his usual self.
The series between the Cavs and the Knicks is tough for Cleveland, but a comeback is possible. No matter what happens, Mitchell’s upcoming offseason is going to be full of big choices.
The Cavaliers have loved Mitchell in the lineup, but they may need to make some big roster tweaks this summer because they are coming up short, once again. They got further than they did last year, but fans are fearful that the team’s championship window is closing unless the front office shakes things up.
Losing Mitchell would be a massive change. But perhaps it’s the only way to move this team forward. Or maybe Mitchell isn’t acting normally because he feels it’s time to move on to another team.
Everyone is keeping a close eye on Mitchell’s playing. When the season is over, those same people will be keeping a close eye on his plans.
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