We are now halfway through the NBA season and past the trade deadline.
That means it is time for fans to embrace the second half of the year and think even more about end-of-season awards.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are in the running for several accolades and one of their biggest stars could be named Most Valuable Player.
On Friday morning, NBA.com released their latest MVP ladder and Donovan Mitchell was sixth on the list.
He was behind Karl-Anthony Towns, Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who continues to lead the pack.
Behind Mitchell are Jaren Jackson Jr., Jalen Brunson, Anthony Edwards, and Alperen Sengun.
https://t.co/wWGNmWnCY9’s updated MVP Ladder:
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
2. Nikola Jokic
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo
4. Jayson Tatum
5. Karl-Anthony Towns
6. Donovan Mitchell
7. Jaren Jackson Jr.
8. Jalen Brunson
9. Anthony Edwards
10. Alperen Sengun— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 7, 2025
This list proves that Mitchell has a way to go to be the frontrunner but he is still in the mix.
In this league and with these players, that’s a huge accomplishment.
But it’s a well-earned one because Mitchell is averaging 23.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game on 45.1 percent from the field.
This is his third season with the Cavaliers and Mitchell is looking better than ever.
It’s not just his numbers, but his overall leadership and on-court decision-making.
Of course, Mitchell isn’t the only one doing well in Cleveland.
The Cavaliers’ success wouldn’t be possible without others such as Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, and others.
But Mitchell remains the team’s most well-known star and an important cornerstone, which improves his MVP chances.
It seems unlikely that he will climb all the way up this ladder and overtake Gilgeous-Alexander’s spot at the top.
But it’s also unlikely that he will stop playing so well over the months ahead.
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