Why Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell feels ‘sense of urgency’ to win a championship soon

The Cleveland Cavaliers not only finished 1st in the Eastern Conference last season with a 64-18 record, they arguably made the biggest splash of the offseason by taking on James Harden. Already seen as legitimate title contenders, Cleveland now have a point to prove, and star man Donovan Mitchell certainly understands that.

Speaking on SiriusXM, Mitchell claimed that there was a sense of urgency to win the championship, per a post on X by ClutchPoints.

“This may be one of my last opportunities, maybe James [Harden’s] last opportunity… We understand what’s ahead of us, we understand what’s in front of us.”

Donovan Mitchell on the urgency for the Cavs to win a championship

(via @SiriusXMNBA)pic.twitter.com/vypGBeqca9

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 19, 2026

“As far as the pressure, obviously there is a sense of urgency. It’s like, hey you know, when you add a guy who is just as hungry as the group. The way it was last year, it was us or OKC. So now how do you respond?” he began, suggesting that the Harden move means that it may be their last chance to emerge as champions before questions are asked.

“I am not gonna say there is added pressure, but there is a sense of urgency. This may be one of my last opportunities, maybe James [Harden’s] last opportunity..We understand what’s ahead of us, we understand what’s in front of us,” Donovan Mitchell said.

Cleveland sits 34–21 and fourth in the Eastern Conference, but the record only tells part of the story. The decision to acquire Harden in exchange for Darius Garland and a future second-round pick signals that the front office is looking to win now, and want the roster to move past the development stage starting this campaign.

The Harden acquisition directly addresses Cleveland’s biggest postseason issue: half-court offensive stagnation and secondary shot creation. Even at 36, Harden is delivering 25.0 points and 8.2 assists per game this season, his most productive scoring stretch in five seasons.

Of course, Mitchell remains the star man despite Harden’s arrival. The 7-time All-Star is producing 29.0 points, 5.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game and finished fifth in MVP voting last campaign. This time around, not only will he want his team to emerge as a genuine title threat, he will also have one eye on the individual accolades.

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