Milwaukee Bucks rival Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers have not been in the headlines much this offseason, but some business decisions will loom for them sooner rather than later. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, said on the NBA Today on Thursday,
“I do not expect him to sign an extension with the Cavs this summer. Nor do I expect that to cause a major alarm.”
This should not be a surprise because Donovan Mitchell does have some time because he has a player option with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the 2025-2026 season and his free-agent status would be the same. He was acquired in a trade last summer from the Utah Jazz.
Mitchell was one of the reasons why Cleveland won 51 games a season ago and was the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference before losing to the New York Knicks in Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs. Donovan Mitchell averaged 28.3 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 4.4 APG, and also shot 48.4% from the field in 68 games played last season for the Cavaliers.
He is one of the better shooting guards in the NBA and is 27 years old. Milwaukee Bucks rival Donovan Mitchell is also in the prime of his NBA career. For Cleveland’s sake, they gave up a lot of assessts to acquire him last season with Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, three first-round picks, and two pick swaps in the deal.
Also, Windhorst said about the Mitchell contract extension situation on the NBA Today on Thursday:
“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. I think the pressure point comes a year from now when he’s got one year left on his contract.”
Milwaukee Bucks Rival Cleveland Cavaliers Championship Window May Just Be Opening and Not Giving Donovan Mitchell a Contract Extension Would Be Egregious
Cleveland’s championship window will be opening with this core sooner rather than later. Other than Mitchell, this core is very young. Darius Garland and Evan Mobley are two of the building blocks for this franchise potentially for the next decade. Jarrett Allen, Isaac Okoro, Caris LeVert, Mac Strus, and Georges Niang are some nice role players for the Cavaliers as well.
This young core is the reason why President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman was able to make a move for Mitchell last summer. They could be the best team in the Central Division in a year or two with the Bucks championship window potentially closing sooner rather than later. Donovan Mitchell is not eligible for a supermax contract extension but would be eligible for a three-year contract extension next summer.
The Cleveland Cavaliers should not mess around next summer and give him that contract extension he wants.