Donovan Mitchell, Kenny Atkinson and the low-tech meeting that supercharged the Cavs

When Kenny Atkinson sat down for lunch with Donovan Mitchell inside the Four Seasons Westlake Village just outside of Los Angeles in late June, his mission was clear: Inspire enough trust and belief in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ franchise player that Mitchell would be compelled to sign a new contract rather than let the threat of free agency creep any closer. After all the angst in Cleveland last season — from the front office’s concerns about Mitchell playing too much to the well-known doubts about Bickerstaff in the locker room, big man Jarrett Allen’s longer-than-expected recovery from a rib injury in the playoffs, former All-Star guard Darius Garland possibly wanting to be traded and young Evan Mobley’s regression — this was their chance to chart a new, healthier path forward. “It wasn’t hard,” Mitchell said of trusting Atkinson’s message. GO DEEPER Lloyd: Assessing 8 incredible stats that define the Cavs' remarkable 17-1 start “I’m not gonna lie, I’m pretty excited,” Mitchell said. And team sources say Garland, the 24-year-old former All-Star whose production declined last season while playing alongside Mitchell, had made it clear internally that he wasn’t content camping out in the corner.