What Donovan Mitchell's Return Means for Cavs' Title Odds

After months of speculation on whether or not Donovan Mitchell would remain in Cleveland, the Cavs guard put all rumors to bed. He agreed to a three-year, $150.3 million maximum contract extension on Tuesday, which includes a player option for the 2027-28 season.

In his two seasons in Cleveland, Mitchell has led the Cavs to back-to-back playoff appearances and helped them win their first playoff series without LeBron James in more than 30 years.

Keeping Mitchell Doesn't Change Championship Odds

The announcement of Mitchell's return didn't do much in terms of altering Cleveland's odds of winning the NBA title next season. The Cavs have the 11th shortest odds, priced at +4000 on DraftKings and are +340 to win the Central Division behind the Bucks.

You won't catch me betting on the Cavs to take home the Larry O'Brien Trophy next season, but I would consider wagering on them to win the division.

As the team's top player, Mitchell averaged 26.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 6.1 assists last season while shooting 46.2% overall and 36.8% from beyond the arc. His two seasons with the Cavs have been the highest-scoring of his career. He'll have a chance to continue that trend alongside Kenny Atkinson who Cleveland just hired as its new head coach, taking over for J.B. Bickerstaff.

According to reports, Mitchell had a big say in bringing Atkinson on board. The former Nets head coach and Warriors assistant is known for his fast-paced, high-energy style of play. Atkinson's teams often emphasize quick ball movement, three-point shooting, and attacking the basket, which works well with the Cavs' current personnel.

Betting On The Cavs In 2023-24

The Cavs have seen a lot of improvement over the last two seasons and bringing back Mitchell is a major step in continuing that success. The All-Star guard keeps Cleveland among the top half of the Eastern Conference, but it'll have to improve in several areas before it can be considered a serious contender alongside the Celtics and Sixers.

I expect the Cavs to have a similar season to last year, hovering around the 50-wins mark, which is why I don't think there is any value in betting on them to take home the title in 2004-25.