Whenever a star player is approaching the end of his contract, pundits always kick up a fuss about their future and whether or not they would want to stay with the franchise they’re currently in. This is the case for Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell. Spida, despite having two more years on his contract (including the 2023-24 season), has been at the center of plenty of rumors, with some analysts believing that he’s a flight risk just because he wouldn’t yet sign a contract extension with the Cavs.
At the end of the day, the Cavs still have time on their hands when it comes to convincing Mitchell to put his signature across the dotted line. And Spida hopes that more people recognize that it’s not yet a make or break offseason when it comes to his future in Cleveland.
“I want it to be known that I still have the opportunity to sign an extension next summer. I don’t think a lot of people understand that aspect,” Mitchell said during media day, per Tony Pesta of SB Nation’s Fear The Sword.
Of course, it helps that the extension Donovan Mitchell could sign, should he decide to do so next offseason, will be more financially generous than the deal he can sign at present. Per Evan Dammarell of Right Down Euclid, in 2024, Mitchell could sign an extension worth an average of $51.9 million per year, kicking in at the start of the 2026-27 season (assuming he picks up his player option in 2025).
But there’s also a chance that Mitchell could pursue more dollars up front, deciding to eschew signing a contract extension altogether. Mitchell could play out his contract and decline his player option for the 2025-26 season so he could get more guaranteed money upfront that rises accordingly with the fast-rising salary cap. This, however, does not mean that he’ll be departing the Cavs, as he knows that the team is building to something special.
“I’m really excited about what we’ve got going here. We could do something special. Ultimately, when the season is over, we’ll get to that,” Mitchell added.
Cavs fans will need to be patient, even if Donovan Mitchell’s future with the franchise may be inducing some departure anxiety.