September 15, 2026 • 12:02 PM EDT
Updated 2 hours ago
If you trace back the reason Donovan Mitchell is wearing a Cavaliers jersey right now, you’ll stumble on a truth most fans miss: his arrival is the result of over a decade of patient moves, blind luck, and a front office willing to sweat the small stuff. You might think of blockbuster trades as sudden moments—one player out, one player in. But the NBA is a chain reaction. Cleveland’s latest star is proof that even trades you forget about can change an entire franchise’s future.
So how did we get here? It starts in February 2011. The Cavs sent Mo Williams and Jamario Moon to the Clippers for what was left of Baron Davis and a 2011 first-round pick. That pick? It turns into the top pick in the lottery, and suddenly Kyrie Irving is calling Cleveland home. Kyrie spends six years in The Land, pulls LeBron James back into the fold, and together they win a championship in 2016. Irving, with an eye on his next chapter, asks out before the 2017-18 season—he knows LeBron’s exit is coming—and the Cavs swap him to Boston for a package including Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and two picks. None become household names, but the Brooklyn first-rounder they get turns into Collin Sexton in 2018. That pick was massive, even if it didn’t feel that way at the time.
According to Yahoo Sports, Sexton’s arrival plants another seed for the Mitchell trade years later. The Cavs make another low-key move, landing Lauri Markkanen from Chicago in 2021 for Larry Nance Jr. and a second-rounder. Markkanen isn’t just a throw-in; he’s a piece that helps Cleveland swing for the fences. Eventually, Cleveland packages Sexton, Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, three first-round picks, and two pick swaps to the Jazz in exchange for Donovan Mitchell.
Lest you think it ends there, keep this in mind: some of those earlier Cavs deals snagged role players who helped the team absorb the contract of Jarrett Allen in the James Harden blockbuster to Brooklyn. That move alone helped cement 40 percent of Cleveland’s current starting five—a team that’s gone from perennial rebuilders to playoff lock.
The upshot? No trade is too small. The Mo Williams deal looked like a blip at the time. But it set off a string of moves that resulted in the Cavaliers landing not only a generational point guard in Irving, but eventually a go-to scorer in Mitchell and a centerpiece big in Allen. The front office’s willingness to collect assets, no matter how minor, and flip non-core players for picks or upside guys paid off far bigger dividends than anyone predicted back in 2011.
Key developments in the Cavaliers trade timeline
- Mo Williams and Jamario Moon traded for Baron Davis and the 2011 No. 1 pick (Kyrie Irving)
- Irving traded to Boston, bringing back players and Brooklyn’s 2018 first-round pick (Collin Sexton)
- Sexton and Markkanen (acquired for Larry Nance Jr.) eventually dealt for Donovan Mitchell
- Earlier trades for role players create salary space to absorb Jarrett Allen’s deal
- Moves over 15 years shape nearly half the current starting lineup
Why does the Mitchell trade matter so much?
For bettors, front-office types, and fans alike, the lesson is clear. Don’t dismiss an uninspiring trade just because the headlines are dull. Every asset you collect—even a single protected pick or a player with upside—can snowball into something much bigger down the line. If you’re the kind of bettor who watches how a team is built, spotting these small-but-smart moves helps you see value years before it shows up in the box score.
Key takeaways for basketball fans and bettors
- Never underestimate the butterfly effect of smaller trades
- Draft picks have unpredictable long-term value
- Patience pays off—front offices willing to play the long game can change a franchise’s fortunes
- Donovan Mitchell’s arrival wasn’t an overnight miracle, it was years in the making
- Look for teams that consistently win small deals; they’re more likely to pull off big swings
- Even role players in lopsided trades can end up being critical salary pieces or trade chips
- Kyrie Irving’s six-year run set up a chain reaction Cleveland is still benefitting from
- The Cavs’ ability to pivot and extract value from each trade kept them relevant after the LeBron era
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