Photo: Cleveland Cavaliers/X

Tristan Thompson has responded passionately to Donovan Mitchell’s exclusion from the NBA General Manager survey, where the league’s GMs voted on the best shooting guards in the league. Mitchell, a five-time All-Star for the Cleveland Cavaliers, was not included in the top picks, causing quite a stir within the team.

In the poll, Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards received 33% of the votes as the top shooting guard, followed by Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker (23%), and Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (20%). Stephen Curry (10%) and Luka Dončić (7%), traditionally viewed as point guards, rounded out the top five. Mitchell did not even make it into the “others receiving votes” category.

Thompson expressed his disbelief when learning about Mitchell’s omission. “The GMs did it? Just use it as motivation. Kick they a–, you know?” Thompson told Chris Fedor of cleveland.com. He added, “There are 30 teams. Let’s say there are, what, four guys just as good as him? So, that’s like 25 other guys he is better than.”

Thompson emphasized Mitchell’s position as one of the league’s top guards, noting that many teams might regret not acknowledging his talent. “Donovan is a top five two-guard, easily,” Thompson asserted. “Sounds like they have a problem. Sounds like they have been making bad decisions.”

Mitchell had an impressive season last year, averaging 26.6 points, 6.1 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 46.2% from the field and 36.8% from beyond the arc. Despite these standout numbers, his absence from the GM poll raises questions about how his abilities are perceived across the league.

Thompson further highlighted that Mitchell’s contributions to the Cavaliers have been instrumental, and Cleveland’s president of basketball operations, Koby Altman, sees Mitchell’s value clearly. “You only need one to love you, and Koby Altman loves you,” Thompson remarked, referencing the front office’s decision to sign Mitchell to a three-year, $151.3 million extension this summer.

Mitchell’s leadership and scoring ability have been central to the Cavaliers’ success, helping the team achieve its first playoff series win without LeBron James since 1993. Thompson’s comments suggest that Mitchell’s exclusion from the list could serve as fuel for the star guard heading into the new season.

As the 2024-25 campaign approaches, all eyes will be on Mitchell to see how he responds to the perceived slight. Thompson believes that Mitchell will prove his doubters wrong. “Just kick everyone’s a–,” he said, “and when the GMs have their golf shirts on, just walk by and hold it down.”