The NBA season is still a ways away and yet there are individuals out there still trying to push Donovan Mitchell out of Cleveland. ESPN’s Tim Bontemps had the following to say when asked “Which player has flown under the radar in free agency but will be a big storyline come February’s trade deadline?”.
Donovan Mitchell. Cleveland has to try to prove over the next year it’s worth having Mitchell sign up long term, or they’ll have to consider moving him with a year left on his deal next offseason. If the Cavaliers struggle next season, Mitchell’s name could come up.
Tim Bontemps on Cavs and Donovan Mitchell
What is going on here? First off, the answer really does not fit the question. Three of the four other answers were Karl-Anthony Towns which makes more sense. The Timberwolves are going in a different direction and Towns’ days are clearly numbered in Minnesota. There is also Towns’ contract which is up after the season which makes him a very obvious trade candidate.
As far as Donovan Mitchell is concerned though? This is complete nonsense. Mitchell’s deal runs through the 2024-25 season with a player option for just over $37 million in 2025-26. This would have Mitchell as the 17th highest paid guard in that season should things stay the same (they won’t). Mitchell will more than likely receive a new contract which sees him get a lot closer to the top of the list of guard salaries.
As far as the above mentioned player-option is concerned, it is really just an insurance policy for Mitchell should he end up with a major injury or experience an unexpected drop in performance. There is also the fact that the Cavs are not going to just sit there twiddling their thumbs and be like welp, we tried. The Cavs will make efforts to keep Mitchell in Cleveland beyond his current deal. Expecting them to do nothing is absolute balderdash.
Again, mentioning Donovan Mitchell here really seems like someone who did not want to see him in a Cavs uniform in the first place. This is not an aging team with a closing contention window. It is also not like former versions of the Cavaliers where they were treading water without making any substantial progress. The Cavs are a playoff team looking to build upon their early playoff exit. Even if they do struggle somewhat next season, this is all still very premature. The play-in tournament provides extra avenues to postseason play should a team stumble for an extended period. Cleveland is not a bottom feeder and could certainly take advantage of that secondary path to the postseason if needed.
Could the Cavs end up being in a position where they look to trade Donovan Mitchell? Sure. Anything is possible. However trying to make that happen at this current juncture has about the same legs as trying to make fetch happen. There is a proper time and place for it and right now is certainly not it.
