Game 3 against Boston Celtics may've been Donovan Mitchell's last game as a Cavalier

Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Boston Celtics in Cleveland may have been the final time Donovan Mitchell ever suits up as a Cavalier according to Cavaliers Nation's Mike Battaglino.

"If the 27-year-old is unable to go (on May 15), he may have played his last game in a Cavaliers uniform," Battaglino prefaced before saying, "According to a recent report, many in NBA circles believe he will force his way out of Cleveland if the Cavs fail to win 2024 NBA Finals. If that turns out to be the case, another report suggested that the Los Angeles Lakers would be at the “front of the line” of interested teams trying to acquire the All-Star."

Mitchell dropped 33 points, grabbed six rebounds, dished out three assists, and had two steals in his potential final game of his two-year career in Cleveland. The Cavs lost Game 3 106-93 as Jrue Holiday and Derrick White forced Mitchell to constantly run to keep pace on defense all while shouldering the load offensively.

Boston Celtics are the grim reapers of the Eastern Conference playoffs

If Mitchell's last game with the Cavs was against the Celtics, that would make Boston the Eastern Conference's grim reaper -- because Jimmy Butler may have played his last game as a member of the Miami Heat after a first-round gentlemen's sweep at the C's hands as well.

Now, the key difference is that Butler didn't play. Heat fans are convinced that things probably would've been different had he played, but that's neither here nor there at this point.

Still, the Celtics are making teams and players realize that their current situations just aren't good enough and may be able to lay claim to the destruction of two rosters of teams that were possible contenders coming into the 2023-24 season; but also-rans by the end of it.