Donovan Mitchell has been linked to several teams in trade rumors right after the Cleveland Cavaliers were eliminated in the postseason. Mitchell is not even a free agent yet, but he has only one guaranteed year left in his contract. For 2025-26, he has a player option that he may decline, so the Cavaliers must move him this coming offseason if they want to receive the best value for Mitchell.
The fit of Mitchell and Darius Garland is unlikely to move forward next season, so the Cavaliers must decide if they will build around Mitchell or Garland. If they decide on Garland, Mitchell's name will be rumored to a slew of franchises, and one of them would be the rebuilding Brooklyn Nets. Their roster seems to be in shambles after losing Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving but pairing Mikal Bridges with Mitchell is a great start in their restructuring their core.
Bridges must be an untouchable asset in any Mitchell discussions because, without Bridges on the team, Mitchell may decide to leave after a couple of seasons. The Nets do have a myriad of enticing assets, so here is the perfect Donovan Mitchell trade that the Nets must put on the table.
The offer that gets a Donovan Mitchell trade done for the Nets
Nets receive: Donovan Mitchell
Cavs receive: Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Cam Thomas, three first-round picks
Since Bridges is not part of the trade discussions, the next plausible package is combining both of Brooklyn's starting wings to complement the nucleus of Cleveland.
Cam Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith would be impressive acquisitions to fortify the unit led by Garland and Evan Mobley. Those two individuals will be a tremendous complement to their style of play because they do not need the ball in their hands for a multitude of possessions.
Johnson and Finney-Smith are far from the caliber of Mitchell but if Mitchell is leaving by the next offseason, the substantial package is something Cleveland must heavily consider. Cam Thomas is another spectacular microwave off the bench as his elite scoring and stellar shot creation will be a massive boost to the second unit of the Cavs.
Thomas' rookie contract will expire in 2026, so the Cavs must be willing to extend him if they recognize him as a vital piece of the Mitchell deal. To cap it off, the Nets do have a plethora of draft capital to offer to the Cavs, so three first-round picks is a significant offer.
Since the players included in the trade are less intriguing than other franchises, the Nets may need to add another young player or a draft swap to complete the negotiations.
It was very evident in the current season that Bridges cannot flourish as the primary scoring option, so Mitchell's arrival will lessen the scoring workload on him. Bridges is more of an excellent secondary option who can thrive on both ends of the floor. The selfless disposition of these two individuals is a fantastic building block for the culture that newly-hired head coach Jordi Fernandez would want to impart.
Re-signing Nic Claxton must be the main priority in the offseason for Brooklyn because they need a reliable option anchoring the paint. Moreover, Dennis Schroder will be on an expiring $13 million contract next year, so the Nets can use him as a trade chip or use him in a starting backcourt with Mitchell.
The Nets are still far from contending in the Eastern Conference but banking on Mitchell's capabilities as the No. 1 scoring option can be a wonderful springboard for their organization.
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