LeBron James has been the face of the NBA for over two decades. Entering the league at 18, he was the No. 1 overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003.
During his 11 seasons with the Cavaliers, he earned 10 All-Star Game appearances and delivered Cleveland’s first-ever NBA Championship in 2016. Notably, he is the all-time scoring leader, a four-time NBA Champion, and a four-time MVP.
James is recognized as the ‘de facto GM’ of any team he joins, a status he has rightfully earned. He has consistently been the top player and has excelled on the biggest stages.
However, despite all his achievements, the latest news from Cleveland is likely to upset him.
"What Donovan has with the Cavs is what LeBron has with the Lakers, in fact it might even be stronger," – @WindhorstESPN on Donovan Mitchell's level of influence with the Cavs. pic.twitter.com/1K60Huuy5K
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) May 29, 2024
Donovan Mitchell Reportedly Has More Influence With the Cavs Than LeBron James Has With Lakers
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst appeared on ‘The Really Big Show’ and made a striking comment about Donovan Mitchell’s influence within the Cavs organization.
Windhorst stated, “What Donovan has with the Cavs is what LeBron has with the Lakers, and it might even be stronger because the Lakers have another bonafide superstar on their roster, and LeBron is about to turn 40.”
This isn’t news that would excite LeBron. Despite heading into his 22nd NBA season, he’s still one of the league’s top players. In the 2023-24 season, he averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game over 35 minutes.
While Mitchell is a premier playmaker at 27, he hasn’t progressed past the second round of the playoffs in his career and has yet to make an All-NBA First Team or win an MVP award. The notion that Mitchell wields more influence with the Cavs than LeBron does with the Lakers is surprising, but it seems to be the current reality.
