The fall from grace for the Cleveland Cavaliers has been hard to put into words. Last season, they were the clear-cut number one seed in the Eastern Conference and looked like an overwhelming favorite to make a loud noise in the postseason.
However, their season fell apart in a flash in the playoffs, as they bowed out to the Indiana Pacers.
Donovan Mitchell Sets Sights on Championship After Cavaliers Land James Harden
This year, they could not find nearly the same level of success, prompting a flurry of activity near the trade deadline. Now, with a large number of roster tweaks, their ace Donovan Mitchell was sincere in addressing the team’s expectations and what the team hopes to accomplish this season.
Starting the season barely above .500, the Cavaliers looked to be in dire straits at 17-16 before rattling off a strong run to get to their current record of 34-21. However, questions still persisted within the team, prompting three major additions to the roster.
Gaining some depth in the form of Dennis Schroeder and Keon Ellis was a shrewd move by the Cavaliers, before adding some much-needed firepower and true superstar talent in James Harden in exchange for the injury-prone Darius Garland.
Now, as a top-four seed in the East, the hope is that their strong run can sustain and potentially even improve. After the All-Star break, the final stretch of the regular season could determine the future of the franchise as a whole.
However, as far as Mitchell is concerned, their goal for the season is unwavering. Speaking to the media, he explained the mindset heading into the second half of the year. “The goal is to get a championship.”
Donovan Mitchell on what his goal is for the rest of the season:
“The goal is a championship, nothing but it. We just acquired James… so let’s use this break to be like hey it’s time to get somewhere we haven’t been before.” pic.twitter.com/AlShNrsngK
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) February 16, 2026
Expanding on his point, he added, “That’s the goal, nothing but it. We just acquired James, Dennis, and Keon, so obviously, we use this break to be like, ‘Hey, it’s time to get somewhere we haven’t been before.'”
That someplace is undeniably at the mountaintop of the NBA. Since joining the Cavaliers, Mitchell has consistently been a stellar performer, both in the regular season and the playoffs, as the Cavs have hung around almost every season.
But they have yet to take a leap to the absolute top, with zero Conference Finals appearances during that stretch. The latest tweaks to the roster could be the difference-maker, and it seems clear that it is the direction and hope the seven-time All-Star is keeping for the rest of the year.
