Connect with us

Cleveland, OH

Windhorst: Donovan Mitchell's Cavs Influence May Be Stronger Than LeBron with Lakers

Published

on

Windhorst: Donovan Mitchell's Cavs Influence May Be Stronger Than LeBron with Lakers


David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images

Donovan Mitchell has plenty of leverage with the Cleveland Cavaliers this offseason.

So much leverage, in fact, that it reportedly could eclipse the leverage LeBron James has with the Los Angeles Lakers.

“Donovan’s position with the Cavs right now is potentially as powerful as any team with any star player,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said during a Wednesday appearance on 850 ESPN Cleveland.

“With possible trades coming, with the type of contract he’s going to get offered. With the coaching position open. What Donovan has with the Cavs is what LeBron has with the Lakers. In fact, it might even be stronger because the Lakers have another superstar player on their roster. And LeBron’s about to turn 40. Donovan is entering his prime.”

Advertisement

Mitchell is signed through next season and has a player option for the 2025-26 campaign but is also eligible for an extension this offseason.

Cleveland will surely want him to sign it as it looks to build on its second-round playoff appearance this season. It would also eliminate the long-term doubt Mitchell choosing not to sign it would cause, as the Cavaliers may have to trade him to avoid losing him for nothing in free agency in that hypothetical.

That Windhorst mentioned James is notable because there are plenty of parallels between the Cavaliers and Lakers at this time.

Their star players’ futures are topics of discussion this offseason with Mitchell extension eligible and James facing a 2024-25 player option. They both have coaching vacancies after Cleveland fired J.B. Bickerstaff and Los Angeles fired Darvin Ham. And they are both a step below the elite teams in their conferences and in need of additions to make up that gap.

Assuming the front offices want James and Mitchell back, they will surely seek out feedback from both James and Mitchell when hiring their next head coach or even making roster moves.

Advertisement

Whether either uses that leverage to influence roster decisions remains to be seen, but this is a critical offseason for Cleveland.

Shams Charania, Joe Vardon and Jason Lloyd of The Athletic reported earlier this month that “rival executives believe the Cavs will have to seriously evaluate the fit of Mitchell and [Darius] Garland and ultimately may have to choose one or the other.”

That could mean a Garland trade if Mitchell does sign his contract extension, which could open up more space to add another impact player alongside the five-time All-Star.

Cleveland could look quite different in 2024-25, and it may depend on how much leverage Mitchell uses while figuring out his own contract situation.



Source link

Advertisement

Cleveland, OH

Arraignment for teen accused of murder at Cleveland deli

Published

on

Arraignment for teen accused of murder at Cleveland deli


CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The 17-year-old boy accused of a deadly shooting at a Cleveland deli, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Thursday.

Royal King was indicted on the charges of aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault, carrying concealed weapons, and improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle.

King will continue being held on a $1 million bond at the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Detention Facility.

He will return to court on March 2 for a pre-trial.

Advertisement
Royal King(Fiscalía del Condado de Cuyahoga)

King is accused of killing Jahari Stegall, 17, on Sept. 19, 2025 at the E. 185th Deli in the city’s Northshore Collinwood neighborhood.

PREVIOUS STORY: Teen identified after shooting death at Cleveland deli

King allegedly drove to the deli in a stolen car and walked through the aisles.

Security cameras then show Stegall walking through the parking lot.

King allegedly met Stegall at the door with a gun in his hand and shot him in the back of the head before fleeing the scene.

Advertisement

Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley said Stegall was a good kid who barely knew King.

U.S. Marshals arrested King on Oct. 29, 2025 at home on E. 147th Street in Cleveland.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Cleveland, OH

Ohio EMA expanding traveler alert system

Published

on

Ohio EMA expanding traveler alert system


OHIO — The Ohio Emergency Management Agency, in partnership with the National Weather Service offices in Wilmington and Cleveland, is partnering with Lamar Advertising to help expand the Ohio Traveler Alert System to more parts of the state. 


What You Need To Know

  • Ohio EMA said the system will soon include areas of greater Cleveland, Toledo and the Cincinnati Metropolitan area
  • The system first launched in 2024 for parts of Dayton and Columbus
  • The goal is to deliver real-time severe weather alerts to travelers through digital billboards

Ohio EMA said the system will soon include areas of greater Cleveland, Toledo and the Cincinnati Metropolitan area. 

“Severe weather can make driving difficult and dangerous,” said Gov. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio. “By expanding the Ohio Traveler Alert System, our goal is to get critical weather alerts to more drivers in real-time.”

The system was launched in 2024 in the areas of Dayton and Columbus. If there’s severe weather, digital billboards display messages alerting travelers about certain conditions, such as high winds, snow squalls, ice and flooding.

“Collaborations like these are the backbone of community safety,” said Sima Merick, Ohio Emergency Management Agency executive director. “When we work together, we strengthen our ability to protect the people we serve. OTAS is a prime example of these partnerships.”

Advertisement

Ohio EMA said the communication and messaging on billboards is not only an effective way to communicate to Ohio residents but also to travelers who may not be familiar with the area. 



Source link

Continue Reading

Cleveland, OH

Iman Shumpert Claims Kyrie Irving Left The Cavaliers To Beat LeBron James

Published

on

Iman Shumpert Claims Kyrie Irving Left The Cavaliers To Beat LeBron James


Former NBA guard Iman Shumpert played an important role in the Cavaliers securing their only championship in franchise history. He was there to help them win it all, and he was there to watch it fall apart when Kyrie Irving forced a trade to the Celtics in 2017. In a recent appearance on ‘Club Shay Shay,’ the former Cavs guard broke down what really pushed Irving out of Cleveland, and why he wasn’t surprised that he wanted to leave.

“Hell nah. Kyrie is a Kobe guy,” said Shumpert. “Kyrie wanted to beat LeBron, and that’s okay. People like to say ‘Oh, that was dumb’ because you’re a team-up kind of guy. That’s not Kyrie. Kyrie is like ‘The only way I can be crowned the best is if I beat the best. I got to go head-to-head with you; I can’t team up with you.”

It’s easy to forget now, but Irving was once the star of the show in Cleveland. In the years before LeBron’s arrival, he was the only hope for the Cavaliers and was treated like an MVP because of it. When LeBron arrived, all that changed, and it was something that Irving never fully accepted.

“Let’s say you got your momma’s crib. And then they just bring you a new brother,” Shumpert added. “Then your momma’s like ‘Well, you were the one to get the house key and do whatever you want, but now you don’t get to drive the car.’ For people not to understand that’s what happened, and then be like ‘Oh, he should have put his pride to the side.’ Why?”

Advertisement

Irving didn’t leave the Cavaliers because he hated LeBron. He left because he wanted to do his own thing and build his legacy outside No. 23’s shadow. As a longtime Kobe fan, he’s competitive at heart and would rather go against his competitors than join forces with them.

So while Irving made the most of his stint with James (one championship in three Finals appearances with the Cavs), he was never in it for the long haul. Playing alongside LeBron was something he never signed up for, even though he remains on good terms with the basketball legend today.

 

Shumpert Gets Real On Playing With LeBron

Irving ended his partnership with James early, and it’s something critics still talk about today. When people often forget, however, is that it’s not so easy to play with the King. Besides his enormous presence, he holds everyone accountable with his sky-high basketball IQ. In the end, however, it’s all for the best as he makes everyone better on the court.

“He is Chat GPT of the NBA,” said Shumpert on James. “This is the best way I could describe [him]. You can ask him anything, he knows. He knows the coaches, he knows the assistant coaches, he knows the player development coach. I don’t even have the mental capacity for all that sh*t. It took about a month for me to get used to him saying ‘X1, X2, X3, X4,’ he is really programmed for this. I never dealt with somebody who had the balls enough to look a coach in the eye and say, ‘I’m not running that.’”

Advertisement

James doesn’t just dominate with his physical skill and size. He uses his mind to get ahead of opponents and exploit their biggest flaws. With an unmatched mental game, James frequently outsmarts the enemy, and it’s the secret to his unprecedented NBA longevity.

In the end, Kyrie got to experience the best of both worlds. He played and won with LeBron James in the city where he was drafted. It taught him a lot and put his name in the history books. But Kyrie wanted more, and going out on his own was the best way to ensure he could play out his career on his own terms.



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending