1 New Year’s resolution for every team in 2024: Central Division

Cavaliers Resolution: Do everything they can to keep Donovan Mitchell in Cleveland. 

Cleveland needs… to ensure that Mitchell does not want another change of scenery. The 27-year-old guard has just entered his prime and seems happy enough in Cleveland, yet there are still constant rumblings that he might want to be in a bigger market. He spent five years in Utah with the Jazz before he was traded to the Cavs before last season.

The Cavs do not have a ton of depth, but there is nothing glaring that their roster is lacking, and there are nice pieces all around with Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. Despite this, Cleveland has had some injury issues to start out the 2023–2024 campaign and is just 18–15 currently.

This is obviously not something that can always be controlled; however, if Mitchell and the Cavs flame out in the first round of the playoffs again, there will be a lot of pressure next season on Cleveland’s front office. Mitchell has a player option for the 2025-2026 season, so next year is the final season that the Cavs have Mitchell locked in for sure, and if things are not going well, he could easily opt out of that contract after next season.