Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert claims he is confident that the team will be able to sign All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell to an extension this upcoming summer, according to Tom Withers of The Associated Press.
Mitchell, who still has two more years left on his current five-year, $163 million contract, will be able to opt out of his $37 million player option and become an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season. A lot of noise has been made about what Mitchell's future holds, especially due to the Cavaliers' unpredictable financial situation. Not to mention, Mitchell's desire to win at the highest level possible has also drawn a lot of speculation that he could entertain the idea of joining other Eastern Conference threats such as the New York Knicks or Brooklyn Nets.
Before this season's trade deadline, league sources told ClutchPoints that Mitchell remains the star of 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, leading the organization to the conclusion that they will be able to reach an agreement on a new contract in the near future.
The rumors suggesting Mitchell wants out of Cleveland were blown out of proportion ahead of this season's trade deadline. With this said, the idea of winning at the highest level possible remains the All-Star's main goal, which is why the Cavs are dedicated to winning right now.
Cavs success with Donovan Mitchell
Since they acquired Mitchell ahead of the 2022-23 season, the Cavs have been a threat near the top of the Eastern Conference. For the first time in years, Cleveland has finally paved the road to success without superstar LeBron James on their roster.
Mitchell, who recently made his fifth straight All-Star appearance in February, has been the face of the Cavaliers each of the last two seasons. He and Darius Garland have formed one of the better offensive backcourts in the entire league. With Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley in the frontcourt, the Cavs have also become a well-balanced defensive team that can wear down their opponents.
On the verge of finishing up his second full season in Cleveland, Mitchell has averaged 27.9 points and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 38.1 percent from three-point range in 117 career games with the Cavs. Currently sidelined due to a knee injury and a nasal fracture that he recently had a procedure done on, Mitchell is expected to return to the court as early as Friday night against the Philadelphia 76ers. He has missed six straight games as a result of his injuries.
In total, Mitchell has missed 24 total games during the 2023-24 season, meaning that he will be ineligible to win any awards or be given any accolades at the conclusion of the year per the league's new 65-game minimum rule. As a result, the All-Star guard won't be eligible to be named to the All-NBA list, which could directly impact his next contract.
Based on the terms of the league's new collective bargaining agreement, Mitchell will be eligible to sign a four-year extension worth upwards of $200 million this summer. Gilbert and the Cavs front office remain of the mindset that their star has no intentions of exploring other opportunities around the league.
The Cavaliers are currently 44-29 on the season, just a half-game behind the New York Knicks for the 3-seed in the Eastern Conference, with nine games remaining on their schedule. Six more wins would result in the Cavs crossing the 50-win mark for the second straight season. The last time the organization achieved this feat without LeBron on their roster was during the 1991-92 and 1992-93 seasons. Cleveland won a playoff series each of those years, advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1992.
Mitchell has increased his scoring production since joining the Cavs, and would undoubtedly be named to the All-NBA list for the second straight season if the minimum game requirement did not exist for awards and accolades. At this time, it continues to look likely that the Cavs will keep their star guard around for the foreseeable future.
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