Since the start of 2024, the Cleveland Cavaliers have worked together to become the hottest team in basketball. Although the team-first approach is endearing, Donovan Mitchell has consistently been at the center of everything. Without Mitchell's high-powered scoring and heroic feats, the Cavs wouldn't be in second place in the Eastern Conference, controlling their destiny.

Anyone you ask would say Mitchell is the team's MVP this season. But when Mitchell's high-octane play is compared to things on the national level for NBA MVP, all is quiet off the shores of Lake Erie. Instead, it's the usual suspects like Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, Milwaukee Bucks phenom Giannis Antekounmpo or a new face in Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

“If you just watch the Cavs, you’ll definitely see it, but we’re not gonna talk about that,” said Darius Garland. “He’s a household name. He’s Donovan Mitchell. He’s Spida, so he should be in a lot of the talks. He’s amazing. He’s super elite at what he does. He gets to his spots whenever he wants to. He can score at any level. He can get his teammates involved. He’s always a leader. Always trying to encourage somebody. I think that’s what the MVP stands for, especially if you’re second in the East, that comes with it as well.”

Donovan Mitchell keeping track in MVP race

Sure, all four players have a legitimate case for NBA MVP, especially Gilgeous-Alexander and Tatum, who both have their teams leading the league in wins. But Mitchell, as Garland noted, has the counting stats and more than enough wins under his belt this year but isn't in the hunt for NBA MVP, which is puzzling. Anyone who watches Mitchell play every night, whether it's fans, media or teammates, would feel the same. In fact, when asked about it after Cleveland's tightly contested loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, Mitchell was confused but still thinks he deserves to be in the conversation with his peers.

“I feel like I deserve to be in that conversation,” Mitchell said. “I feel like the work shows for itself. I’m not one to go out there and vocalize. I just want to go out there and do it. Ultimately, it’s not up to me. At the end of the day, they don’t put my name in there. They don’t want to. I’m just going to continue to play at the level I’m playing at.”

Mitchell is having, arguably, the best season of his career. He ranks fourth in the league in scoring, averaging 28.3 points and already matching his career-best mark set last season. Mitchell leads the Cavs in assists, dishing out a career-best 6.3 per game. He is also averaging career-highs in rebounds (5.4) and steals (1.9) — all while leading Cleveland, which has played 225 total minutes with its projected starting lineup this season due to lengthy injury absences, every night.

In more than 1500 minutes with Mitchell on the court this season, the Cavs have a 117.3 offensive rating and a 106.1 defensive rating. That net rating would best even Boston's top mark, and they're arguably the best team in the NBA. With him on the bench, the offensive rating dips to 111.5 while the defense takes a step back. Cleveland is being outscored by 2.4 points per 100 possessions without Mitchell — easily the greatest differential of any player on the roster.

“To me it’s foolish,” Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “You have a team that is tops in the league in offensive categories, defensive categories and wins and losses. He is having a phenomenal year. He’s having, probably by the numbers, the best year of his career. A guy who I still believe should have been first team All-NBA last year, to have an even better year than that, and the team is winning, for him to not be in the conversation is kind of laughable.”

Granted, no one would categorize Mitchell as the MVP frontrunner nor should he be. If anything, those honors belong to  Jokic, whose impact is impossible to comprehend fully. With the Nuggets already at 36 wins and looking primed to defend their championship, it's hard to say that Jokic won't run away with MVP honors. But, again, that momentum Jokic is carrying is partially based on postseason success on top of what happened in the regular season.

Mitchell wants MVP as Cavs continue to surge

“I’m not going to say I don’t want to be in those conversations, in those talks and say I don’t want MVP,” said Mitchell. “I definitely do. It’s a goal of mine. I felt like I was First Team All-NBA last year. But ultimately, for our group, it’s understanding that we’ve got to continue to build ourselves, and when it comes to April, that’s when it counts. It’s a regular season award, but you’re judged based on a lot of your success in the playoffs.”

Mitchell's sentiments that an individual's regular season success is judged during the playoffs might seem unfair, but it's true. If you flame out like Mitchell and the Cavs did against the New York Knicks last postseason, the individual accolades and regular season success become fool's gold. So, if Mitchell wants to really make a case for league MVP, which he has on his own, he and the Cavs will have to make some noise in the playoffs.

But, considering how hot the Cavs are right now, it's not hard to think Mitchell could be a finalist once the NBA season comes to a close.