New Orleans, Charlotte and Oklahoma City were all interested in former LSU star Tasmin Mitchell after the NBA draft on Thursday night, but the forward chose the Cleveland Cavaliers.Mitchell will join the Cavaliers’ summer league team as an undrafted free agent. Mitchell said Cleveland gave him the best opportunity to make an NBA roster.”My best situation is with the Cavs,” Mitchell said. “They didn’t have any draft picks. It’s just basically me.”Undrafted players get to pick the team they join insteadof being locked onto one team like drafted players.Mitchell said the Cavaliers called his agent right after the draft saying they wanted to pick him up.The four-year starter for the Tigers considered the Hornets, Thunder and Bobcats but felt the Cavaliers presented the best opportunity.”It’s not that I didn’t want to go [to New Orleans],” Mitchell said. “But I wanted to go where I could get more playing time.”Mitchell will leave July 11 for the Vegas Summer League.He will be invited to training camp and will compete for a spot on the team after the summer.”They have a few roster spots open,” Mitchell said. “I think my chances are real high.”Mitchell said he will keep a close eye on the future of LeBron James when free agency begins Thursday.”I would love him to stay with the Cavs,” Mitchell said. “He could teach me a lot.”Mitchell may cross paths with John Treloar, a former LSU assistant under John Brady, who coaches the Cavaliers’ affiliate in the NBA Development League and is likely to coach the summer league team.Before the draft, LSU men’s basketball coach Trent Johnson said Mitchell has the maturity and experience to make it in the NBA.Johnson said Mitchell still has to accomplish the most important thing.”He still has to make a team,” Johnson said. “That’s all that really matters. It doesn’t matter if he was drafted or not.”Mitchell may have to pave his path in the NBA like former teammate Garrett Temple, who signed with the San Antonio Spurs at the end of last season after previously signing 10-day contracts with the Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings.Mitchell led the Tigers on the court last season, averaging 16.8 points and 9.4 rebounds as the lone senior.Sophomore guard Aaron Dotson has a strained patella tendon, Johnson said in the Southeastern Conference coaches’ summer teleconference.”He’s had a setback here in the summer,” Johnson said. “We’re resting him right now. We’ll have to see where we go from here.”Johnson said Dotson may have to get his knee scoped in the weeks to come.The guard played in 29 games in 17 starts, averaging 3.2 points per game.
 
 
 
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