Sleeper candidates for each of the NBA Awards in 2022-23

NBA Awards Sleeper: Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell for Most Valuable Player

How often does a player change teams and immediately take a leap to the next level? It might sound a little bit outlandish given the height he’s already reached, but it appears like this is the best version of Donovan Mitchell. The three-time All-Star looks reinvigorated in his new uniform, posting career-high marks in points (31.1), assists (7.1), steals (1.6), blocks (0.7) and field goal percentage (48.1%) through seven games in his Cavaliers career.

What stands out more than the numbers is Mitchell’s pace. For a player who has consistently proven himself to be extremely quick, particularly when getting downhill, Mitchell is not pushing the pace on every occasion. He’s processing on the fly, making smart decisions and manipulating defenses based on what he’s seeing. It’s producing extremely efficient offense with the Cavaliers currently as the No. 1 ranked team in net rating.

Part of Mitchell’s excellent start has been the absence of his backcourt mate, Darius Garland, who traditionally handles more of the passing duties. Nevertheless, Mitchell deserves resounding respect for the strides he’s taking. The 26-year-old’s volume and efficiency both took a downturn in his final year with Utah, drawing criticism from around the league. When the Cavaliers decided to cash in on their draft capital and add him to the lineup, this is the version of Mitchell they envisioned.

Cracking into the upper echelon of the NBA Awards is never an easy task, but breaking into the MVP conversation is nearly impossible. Yet through his personal output, development and team success, Mitchell is currently meeting much of the criteria set by past winners.

So far, the only player with as strong of a case is Giannis Antetokounmpo, and that’s a win in and of itself. Hats off to Donovan Mitchell.