In the aftermath of the James Harden trade, Donovan Mitchell is keenly aware of what’s at stake. With the arrival of his newest co-star, the Cavaliers are officially on the clock and all out of excuses. Ultimately, Mitchell is not shying away from the pressure; he’s embracing it and everything that comes with being the face of a title contender.
“I think you understand what’s at stake,” Mitchell told Cleveland.com. “You see what’s here. There’s a window. This is the window. This is the time. In a sense, the team is going all in. It’s time to go. When you make that move, understanding James’ age and where he’s at in his career, the time is now. There is no ‘runway’ in a sense with a group like that. You sacrifice even more. You believe even more. You go out there and feel it even more.”
“I love the pressure of it,” Mitchell added.” I love the expectation of it. I love the questions that have come from it. I love it. We need that. Embrace it. I think it’s a little bit of a jolt for everybody. When you make that move, what are you making it for? To win a championship. That’s what it is. The organization is basically saying, this is the time. And I love it. Now we have to go out there and do it. We are not running from that as a group.”
It will be a challenge for the Cavs to incorporate Harden into a team and system that’s been established for years without him. So far, however, his impact has been positive as the Cavs ride a four-game win streak. Their latest victory against the Nuggets might be their most impressive yet, and Harden made his mark with 22 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, zero steals, and three blocks on 43.8% shooting and 28.6% shooting from three.
Only time will tell if this success is sustainable for the Cavs, but there’s no going back now. One way or another, the Cavs are going to see this through, and they’ve made it clear where they stand. They want to win now with this roster, and Harden’s arrival ensures they have the best chance to compete with the other elite teams in the East.
