Last summer, the Cavaliers stunned the NBA world by trading for Donovan Mitchell, even though it seemed like the point guard was headed to New York. Mitchell has two years left on his contract, plus a player option, before he hits free agency, and one NBA reporter believes that represents Cleveland’s window to win with Mitchell.
ESPN’s Tim Bontemps does not expect Mitchell to remain in Cleveland long term, and he said on “The Hoop Collective” with Brian Windhorst that he thinks the team should consider planning for life without him.
“I don’t think there's any chance he signs an extension there ever,” Bontemps said. “And if it was up to me, I would trade Donovan Mitchell today, because I don’t the Cavs are getting as far as they hope to next year, I don’t think he’s going to extend and I think they’ll get a lot more for him with two summers left than they would with one summer left.”
On the podcast, fellow ESPN reporter Tim MacMahon added that Cleveland understands how unlikely it is that Mitchell will re-sign, and Bontemps said he understands where Cleveland is coming from. Still, the NBA insider does not think the team is good enough to win in this short window.
“I think it’s more likely that they lose in the first round than win two rounds, and in that scenario, I don’t really see any world where Donovan Mitchell wants to stay there after next season,” Bontemps said.
Last year, the Cavaliers had a 51-31 record, their best in six years, and earned the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference before losing 4-1 to the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs. Cleveland has other young stars like Evan Mobley and Darius Garland that makes either the decision to keep or to trade Mitchell defensible.
In Mitchell’s first season with Cleveland he averaged a career 28.3 points per game, along with 4.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists, in 68 games played.
