What The Cleveland Cavaliers Have To Be Thankful For This Thanksgiving

The Cleveland Cavaliers have many things to be thankful for, and that starts with Donovan Mitchell.

May 5, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) celebrates with guard Darius Garland (10) after Garland hit a three point basket during the second half against the Orlando Magic in game seven of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers are a legitimate threat to come out of the Eastern Conference and possibly win the Finals this season.

Let's take a brief look at why that is and a couple of things the Wine and Gold have to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Donovan Mitchell

The Cavaliers are finally going to have a season where they don't have to worry about Donovan Mitchell trade rumors.

Over the offseason, Mitchell signed a new contract extension that will keep him in Cleveland through the 2027-28 season. Mitchell was also adamant about how much he enjoyed living and playing in the city over the last few years.

Spida is a one-of-a-kind player, arguably the best shooting guard in the NBA, and he makes a solid argument for his inclusion in the current MVP conversation.

Knowing that Mitchell is here for the foreseeable future is certainly something to be thankful for.

Kenny Atkinson

The only significant move Koby Altman and the front office made over the offseason was bringing in Kenny Atkinson as the head coach. So far, that decision looks like it's made the Cavaliers contenders for the Finals.

Atkinson shattered the record for most wins by a new head coach to start a season. Cleveland also has the highest offensive rating (122.4) and one of the best net ratings (10.5) in the league. Kenny has proven he knows how to get the most out of this group.

One of the most important things, though, is that Atkinson is reportedly loved by the players and coaches, which shows the type of leader he is.

Nov 6, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half reacts at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images / Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Cavaliers Depth

Every season, contenders seem eager to add more talent, more pieces, and more depth as the year goes on. However, the Cavaliers, as of right now, don't have any glaring holes on their roster.

Sure, adding another small forward or another backup center wouldn't hurt. But the depth of this team has helped the Cavaliers accomplish a stellar 17-2 record, even while facing so many injuries.

The bench group of Ty Jerome, Caris LeVert, Dean Wade, and Sam Merrill are currently averaging the most points (28.4) and have a positive +/- of 4.2, which is the best in the NBA.

This depth will be crucial as the season goes on, and the Cavaliers should be thankful they have too much of it.