Kendrick Perkins Calls Donovan Mitchell "Soft" After Cleveland Cavaliers’ Travel Complaints

Kendrick Calls Out Donovan Mitchell Over Cleveland’s Travel Issues© NDTV gallery

Kendrick Perkins has questioned Donovan Mitchell's reaction to the Cleveland Cavaliers' travel problems, calling the guard “soft” after he admitted he wanted the team's game against the Dallas Mavericks postponed. Cleveland had been due to fly home from Miami on Friday night, but a nationwide FAA ground stop threw those plans off course. The team eventually arrived in Cleveland on Saturday morning, with its game against Dallas scheduled for that evening. Mitchell said he understood the Cavaliers had to play if the league kept the game on the schedule, but he would personally have preferred a cancellation. Perkins took issue with that stance, making Mitchell the target of a sharp post on X.

Kendrick Perkins Questions Donovan Mitchell's Response To Travel Disruption

The Cavaliers' schedule left little room to recover from the delay. They had played Miami on Friday and were supposed to return home that night. Instead, the flight disruption kept them in Florida until Saturday morning. Their flight left at 8:54 a.m., ahead of a 7:30 p.m. tip-off in Cleveland.

Mitchell spoke about the unusual turnaround after the loss to Miami.

“This is unprecedented,” Mitchell said on Friday. “Back-to-back. Three-hour flight. It was already going to be a tough one. But if they say we have to play then we have to play.”

He was then asked whether he would have preferred the Mavericks game to be called off. His answer was direct.

“Me, personally, yeah for sure.”

Perkins was not convinced by the guard's position. The former NBA champion posted: “Soft as hell*!!! Doing all that crying… leave some room for the babies,” on X.

Mitchell's comments came as Cleveland had to make decisions about which players could manage the short turnaround. Coach Kenny Atkinson said the team considered input from its sports science, medical and front-office staff, with player health taking priority.

“I do think you have more internal conversations,” Atkinson said before the game. “Sports science, athletic training, front office, there's a lot of thought that goes into it, and I know our default is player care and player health, above all. That's how we approach things, and we put everything into the conversation. You have to come up with decisions, and I know our first priority is what's in the best interest of player health and player care long-term.”

Donovan Mitchell And Four Other Cavaliers Starters Miss Mavericks Game

Mitchell was among Cleveland's absentees, listed with a left knee bruise. James Harden, Jarrett Allen and Peyton Watson were also unavailable, while Evan Mobley remained out with a left big toe sprain. The Cavaliers therefore played without their regular starting five.

Rookie Tyrese Proctor became the unlikely headline of the night, finishing with 24 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Jaylon Tyson added 18 as Cleveland beat Dallas 127-117. Kyrie Irving scored 34 points for the Mavericks, while Cooper Flagg had 18.