The Cleveland Cavaliers haven’t entered panic mode regarding a potential contract extension for Donovan Mitchell.
But that moment may be coming, as the 26-year-old star only has two seasons left on his deal before having a player option ahead of the 2025-26 campaign.
While appearing on NBA Today on Monday, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that the crucial moment for the Cavs’ negotiations will happen next summer.
“I don’t think under any circumstances he was ever considering extending this season, and I think the Cavs knew that when they traded for him,” Windhorst said (8:00 in video). “I think the pressure point comes a year from now when he’s got one year left on his contract.”
Windhorst’s report comes after his ESPN colleague Tim Bontemps called for the Cavs to trade Mitchell this summer as he doesn’t believe that the All-NBA guard will ever agree to an extension while in Cleveland.
Bontemps thinks that the organization would be able to get a better return for Mitchell this summer than it would in 2024 when he has just one season remaining on his contract.
While most fans in Cleveland would understandably scoff at the idea of their team trading its talisman, what would be even more disastrous is if Mitchell leaves for nothing in two years’ time after everything the Cavs gave up to get him last offseason.
When it acquired him from the Utah Jazz, Cleveland gave up Lauri Markkanen—who became an All-Star—Collin Sexton, Ochai Agbaji, three first-round picks and two pick swaps.
Just an absolutely monstrous haul.
So, Cleveland would be wise to move Mitchell if it feels its shot of keeping him in town isn’t high.
But Windhorst feels that point won’t come for another year, in which time the organization could show the star he should stay.
Mitchell had the best season of his already impressive career in his first season with the Cavs, averaging a career-high 28.3 points per game to go along with 4.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.5 steals while knocking down 48.4 percent of his shots from the field and 38.6 percent from three-point range, both career highs as well.
With that performance he was named to his first All-NBA team.
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