The Donovan Mitchell saga continues. He could sign an extension to stay in Cleveland this summer, which owner Dan Gilbert thinks will happen. Or he could decline an extension, and the New York Knicks trade rumors would heat back up again.
In his second season in Ohio, Mitchell is averaging 26.8 points, 6.0 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game, shooting 46.3% from three and 36.8% from three. He was named an All-Star (again) but will miss out on an All-NBA team because he won't meet the 65-game requirement.
The Cavaliers are the No. 4 team in the East, a half-game back from the No. 3 Knicks. The 2024 playoffs will be crucial for Cleveland since Mitchell's first season with the team ended in a first-round exit, thanks to New York. If the Cavs were another early exit, that could decrease Mitchell's chances of wanting to stay with the team long-term.
According to Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus, Cleveland will have to do something that hasn't been done since 2018.
"The buzz in NBA circles suggests that barring a run to the NBA Finals, Mitchell will decline an extension and look elsewhere, and the Cavaliers are more likely than not to move him well before he can leave outright as a free agent."Eric Pincus, Bleacher Report
Donovan Mitchell will reportedly decline Cavaliers extension unless team makes NBA Finals run
Mitchell has a $37 million player option for 2025-26 that he could decline to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. However, as Pincus wrote, the Cavaliers would trade him before he hit free agency.
Two summers after Mitchell was traded from Utah to Cleveland, he could be on the move again. He wouldn't have a say in where he goes, but teams like the Knicks, Heat, and Nets are expected to be interested. New York still has its trove of first-round picks.
If the Knicks aggressively pursued Mitchell, they could get him cheaper than the Cavaliers. Cleveland's front office could be petty and do everything to keep Mitchell from New York, though. It might not help that he's still been linked to the Knicks at every turn.
Cleveland's season could end in less than a month, as the playoffs start in two weeks. How great would it be if the Knicks bounced the Cavaliers from the postseason for the second straight season?
If it were up to Mitchell, he'd likely be for a trade to the Knicks to team up with Jalen Brunson. Some say he's destined to play in New York. Maybe that'll happen.