Donovan Mitchell Uses LeBron James and Michael Jordan to Defend James Harden After Criticism

The Cleveland Cavaliers' season came to a disappointing end, and James Harden is taking the blame for it.

The New York Knicks swept the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals. They destroyed them 130-94 in Game 4. That shattered another opportunity for James Harden to make his first appearance in the NBA Finals since leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder back in 2012.

Because of his history of playoff shortcomings, fans and analysts immediately started pointing fingers at Harden. Critics and fans alike highlighted the lack of defensive effort of the former MVP. They pointed out how the Knicks' guards scored on him during the series.

Donovan Mitchell, on the other hand, remained optimistic about his teammate's situation and defended the 11-time All-Star.

"Yeah, sure, (Harden) had some rough moments," Mitchell said. "I’m sure we all have. LeBron (James) is one of the greatest players ever. We don’t really speak on the (Dallas) Mavericks (NBA) Final (in 2011) when he struggled (with the Miami Heat). We don’t speak on (Michael) Jordan taking eight years to get to the Finals. We speak on the wins."

Throughout the four games they played, Harden allowed a total of 165 points among the Knicks players he defended.

Despite the negativity that surrounds Harden, Mitchell has nothing but love for his star teammate. While they've only been teammates for less than half of the season, Mitchell acknowledged that it's thanks to Harden that he reached the ECF for the first time in his career.

"I'm appreciative of him because he helped me get somewhere that I've never been before," Mitchell said. "We live in a world where it's just so much easier to knock and hate. To see it firsthand, the work ethic, the passion, the IQ, the leadership, it's just like man just gets a bad rep."

While the Cavs' loss in the ECF might be seen as something negative, there's no denying how far the team has gone in the last decade. The last time Cleveland made the ECF was back in 2018, when LeBron James was still the ruler of the kingdom.

More importantly, it was the first time Cleveland made it to the Eastern Conference Finals without LeBron James on the roster since 1992.

To finally go that deep in the playoffs, you need to give credit where credit is due, and that's thanks to the collective effort of Harden and Mitchell.

What's Next for James Harden and Donovan Mitchell Amid LeBron James Rumors?

One of the biggest stars heading into free agency this summer is LeBron James. James declined to extend his Lakers contract earlier this season. This sparked rumors that he might retire or return home to Cleveland.

Following the Lakers' second-round playoff exit, James announced he is taking a break from basketball. He plans to decide on his future by late June or early July.

While nothing has been confirmed yet, many are hoping and anticipating James' return to Cleveland. To many, it's a fitting way for the King to end his NBA career. However, standing in the way would be James Harden.

Harden currently has a player option in his contract worth $42.3 million. He has already stated he wants to stay in Cleveland. Cavs president Koby Altman recently confirmed the team wants to keep the Mitchell-Harden backcourt together.

If Harden opts in, the Cavaliers will almost have no cap space.

The King said in his podcast, 'Mind the Game,' that not only does he want to play for a contending team, but he also wants to play for a team that's still willing to pay him a handsome amount. Despite earning $581.3 million throughout his NBA career, James believes teams should still pay him a good amount out of respect.

With all that in mind, the Cavs have a tricky decision to make. Either they waive Harden to accommodate James, or they run it back with the Harden and Mitchell duo. Unless Cleveland could figure out a way to clear cap space to keep both Harden and Mitchell while affording James to hopefully build a big three.