The Whiteboard: Donovan Mitchell was right — the Cavs are a serious contender

Before the season, Donovan Mitchell told ESPN's Brian Windhorst he believes his Cleveland Cavaliers are a "championship contender." Less than a month later, they're the NBA's last remaining undefeated team, winning their first eight games.

At 8-0, the Cavs find themselves sitting atop the Eastern Conference standings. While it's early in the year, Cleveland looks like a force to be reckoned with. Mitchell and the squad have backed up his presumably wishful albeit far-fetched comments. However, the star combo guard may have been onto something, which we're here to debate.

Was Mitchell right? Do the Cavaliers have legitimate title aspirations? Or is this impressive start merely a mirage, and they're bound for regression?

Was Donovan Mitchell right? Are the Cavaliers a legitimate championship team?

Per StatMuse, Cleveland is one of three teams in the league with a top-10 defense and offense this season. They're accompanied by two of the last three champions: The Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors.

Typically, playing both ends of the floor at a high level separates the great from the good in the Association, which the Cavs do. Frankly, referring to them as a top-10 two-way team might be selling short how hot they've been.

Cleveland ranks second and fourth in offensive (122.6) and defensive (108.5) rating, respectively. Mitchell has led the way, plus the resurgence of standout floor general Darius Garland and big man Evan Mobley's continued ascension have surely helped. Additionally, the installation of Kenny Atkinson as head coach has paid early dividends.

Atkinson is pushing all the right buttons and putting the pieces together nicely. He's unlocked Garland and put Mobley and frontcourt mate Jarrett Allen in positions to wreak havoc down low together rather than contradict one another. These problems plagued them last season and left many questioning what Cleveland's ceiling was with their current core. Although, the Cavs have quelled concerns thus far.

Along with their talented starting five, Cleveland's bench has been reliable. The second unit's 5.9 net rating is third in basketball, trailing only the Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder. Reserves like Caris LeVert, Ty Jerome, Georges Niang and Isaac Okoro have made the most of their minutes, giving the Cavs a deep rotation.

If Cleveland's tremendous beginning to the season is any indication, Mitchell and the Cavaliers have stood on business after the five-time All-Star called his shot.

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NBA news roundup:

• Cam Reddish has been a non-factor for the Los Angeles Lakers. However, the veteran wing reportedly "earned some trust" from head coach JJ Redick, thanks to his recent 14-minute stint versus the Detroit Pistons. While the 2019 lottery pick didn't score, he made his presence felt on the boards and defensively. Whether that means he'll be a consistent factor in the rotation remains unclear, but it's a noteworthy development nonetheless.

• Golden State Warriors franchise icon Stephen Curry returned from a three-game absence on Monday and looked no worse for wear. He scored 24 points on 7-of-15 shooting (4-of-9 from three), adding six assists and three rebounds in 24 minutes of action. Most importantly, the Dubs defeated the Washington Wizards, earning their fourth straight victory.

• Conversely, Paul George's highly anticipated Philadelphia 76ers regular-season debut versus the Phoenix Suns was much less fruitful. The 34-year-old scored 15 points while shooting an inefficient 28.6 percent from the floor and committed six turnovers en route to a 118-116 road loss.

Memphis Grizzlies big man Zach Edey is quickly establishing himself as the ROTY favorite

The 2024 NBA Draft class has been as bad as advertised and arguably worse. Yet, among the uninspiring group of newcomers, Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey is emerging as the leader in the clubhouse for Rookie of the Year.

After early foul trouble derailed him to start the campaign, Edey has found his footing. He's scored double-digit points on 55.6 percent shooting or better in four consecutive contests, recording double-doubles in back-to-back outings. Furthermore, the 7-foot-4 big man has begun to make his presence as a rim protector felt, swatting six shots over his past three games.

Edey posted the best box score numbers of his young career in Memphis' 106-104 loss to the Brooklyn Nets. He posted new career-highs in points (25), rebounds (12), blocks (four) and field goal percentage (91.7). Albeit an imperfect stat, his positive plus/minus in each of the Grizzlies' last three matches highlights his meaningful contributions.

Leading all rookies in scoring, Edey's averaging 11.1 points per game. He's corralling 6.5 boards and nearly one block nightly, converting 64.5 percent of his attempts. The combination of efficiency, scoring and defense firmly entrenches him as the presumed 2024-25 Rookie of the Year, barring unforeseen circumstances. Moreover, playing for a playoff-hopeful Grizzlies squad certainly helps his prospects.

While the stats and on-court impact support Edey's case for ROTY, the betting odds solidify his status. He's the consensus favorite across major sportsbooks like DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesar and FanDuel -- by a fairly wide margin.