Ever since arriving in Ohio and joining the Cleveland Cavaliers via trade from the Utah Jazz, Donovan Mitchell’s future has been a major talking point. He has been linked with the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks for some time now, especially amid the uncertainty of his contract situation with the Cavs. Based on the latest reports, however, it looks like Mitchell isn’t going anywhere.
Mitchell has yet to reach an extension with the Cavs. He is still under contract in 2024-25, but he has a player option worth $37 million in 2025-26 that he is expected to decline should he fail to reach a new deal with the team this upcoming summer. Of course that also largely depends on whether or not the Wine and Gold will be able to generate postseason success that could convince the All-Star guard that Cleveland is the place where he can win a championship.
There’s definitely reason to fear about Mitchell’s potential exit from Cleveland considering all the buzz that has followed him since his Cleveland arrival. But according to the latest intel from Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, Mitchell continues to signal that he’s happy with the Cavs and that they will be able to reach an extension to keep their partnership long-term.
“Before this season’s trade deadline, league sources close to Mitchell told ClutchPoints that his focus is solely on the Cavs, and that he remains happy in Cleveland. Mitchell has given the Cavs no reason to believe that he is wanting to leave anytime soon. His current mindset remains the same as it was earlier in the season, leading the organization to the conclusion that they will be able to reach an agreement on a new contract in the near future,” Siegel wrote.
“While it is certainly possible that mindsets can change based on what occurs in the playoffs, Mitchell and the Cavs reaching an agreement on an extension in the offseason looks like the most likely outcome for this franchise at this moment.”
Dan Gilbert speaks on Donovan Mitchell extension with Cavs
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For what it’s worth, Cavs owner Dan Gilbert also remains confident in the team’s ability to re-sign Donovan Mitchell to a long-term deal despite the concerns about his future with the team. In a recent interview, Gilbert shed more light on the guard’s feelings with the team and their current situation, emphasizing that Mitchell is happy with what they are doing in Cleveland.
“We’ve been talking to him, sure, for the last couple of years about extending this contract. We think he will extend. I think if you listen to him talk, he loves the city,” Gilbert told the Associated Press. “He loves the situation in Cleveland because our players are very young and we’re just kind of putting the core together that he’s clearly the biggest part of.”
To be fair, there’s no denying that Mitchell is in quite the great situation in Cleveland. He remains the focal point of a team that is well-poised to contend for the years to come. The Cavs are still relatively young and fit Mitchell’s timeline really well.
This 2023-24 season, Cleveland is also in contention for a Top 3 seed in the East, currently the fourth seed but just half a game behind the Knicks and two away from the second-seeded Milwaukee Bucks.
Health has been the biggest issue for the Cavs this campaign, with absences from Mitchell, Darius Garland and Evan Mobley really affecting their record. But when they are healthy, this Cleveland team is definitely as dangerous as any of the top dogs in the league.