Donovan Mitchell Says He Spent More Time With Teammates This Offseason Than Ever Before

There is nothing more important in sports than team chemistry. It’s not just about meeting your teammates on the court, practicing with them and traveling from game-to-game. The work is done off the floor, at restaurants, on the town, at their houses. It’s getting to know them as people that enables the best level of play on the court.

From the time he first arrived in Cleveland, he has been bringing the team together. It got started with a trip to Louisville to his old stomping grounds for a football game. There have been numerous visits to Progressive Field to see the Guardians as well.

As he entered his fourth full offseason with the team, Mitchell admitted this year had even more than year’s past.

This matters.

Donovan Mitchell On Spending Time With Teammates

Danny Cunningham from Locked On Cavs was covering Cavs media day and got this great bit from Donovan Mitchell summing up just how different this summer was from year’s past:

“This is probably the most time I’ve spent with my teammates outside of the season in my career.”

Donovan Mitchell: “This is probably the most time i’ve spent with my teammates outside of the season in my career.”
— Danny Cunningham (@RealDCunningham) September 28, 2026

Mitchell was married earlier this summer. He came to the US Open with his wife, Coco Jones, and some other teammates as well. Craig Porter Jr. was there. He was there supporting the team in the Summer League once more, something that’s become an annual tradition that presents a lot of bonding opportunities.

Just this past weekend, Mitchell attended a local high school football game with Thomas Bryant, Tyrese Proctor, and James Harden. Things like this help keep everybody both locked in and together.

This is the type of difference-making activity that doesn’t go unnoticed. It would have been easy to just retreat until media day after the way last year ended in the Eastern Conference Finals, but it has been anything but that.

Cavs Looking Dangerous Ahead Of 2026-27 Season

Though LeBron James didn’t come to the Cavs this offseason as many had hoped, there is still plenty that happened worth getting excited over. A month later, they landed Peyton Watson and subsequently handed him a four-year contract. A highly impactful forward that projects well for the team.

Cavs Media Day 🏀

Donovan Mitchell:

• Cleveland “made sense” for LeBron. Didn’t think Philly would be the pick; thought it would be Golden State if not Cavs

• Signing extension as soon as he was eligible was about “commitment to this group, to this city.” pic.twitter.com/Z2AZEwO74G
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) September 28, 2026

Donovan Mitchell is still the leader of the bunch, on a team that is ready to surprise and turn some heads. They may not be looked at as favorites in the East, but perhaps the underdog role will suit them better than the pressure they had last season coming off a 64-win campaign.

They signed Mario Hezonja, who has been out of the league for the past six years. He’s beefed up and was looking to be huge in media day pictures. They are seemingly very excited to have him around.

And then there’s second-round pick Meleek Thomas. He proved himself as a scorer in Vegas, and has playmaking chops that should get him on the floor.

Koby Altman did a wonderful job of working with what he had. A full season of James Harden should enable him to limit the turnovers and have a better idea of who needs to be where, and when.

As Mitchell and his teammates have discussed during the Cavs media day, it was an incredibly productive offseason. Now, the results will speak for themselves.

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