Donovan Mitchell has just signed a $150.3 million, max extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The deal will see him stay an additional three seasons, with a player option in 2027-28.
The move, while silencing the narrative that Mitchell is desperate to leave the team, sets up Cleveland for a bevy of potential moves they could make this offseason. With that in mind, here’s a look at Mitchell’s extension with the Cavaliers.
Mitchell made quick work of establishing himself as a keystone player of this team. His first season with the Cavaliers, Mitchell averaged 28.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game.
His second season (last season), although not averaging as many points, saw Mitchell lean more into his facilitating. He averaged 26.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game.
That’s not to say his scoring ability has declined. He’s still posted 97 games with the Cavaliers in which he’s scored 20 or more points. However, whether because of injuries or a shift in mentality, Mitchell spent the season showing he can do far more than score.
With the Cavaliers, Mitchell has averaged 27.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists. Comparatively, with the Utah Jazz, Mitchell averaged 23.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists. This was over a longer time period (five seasons) and in an earlier stage of Mitchell’s career. However, it shows just how far he’s come as a player.
With Mitchell now locked down, and the chatter about his leaving quelled, the Cavaliers can now look to the rest of their team. With rumors still floating around of either Darius Garland or Jarret Allen being available for trade, the team could look very different from last season.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as last season proved that these players can be best utilized when not sharing the court with each other. And, with moving either Garland or Allen would allow for a more typically balanced lineup rather than both top and bottom heavy.
Of course, it’s always possible that none of these players will be traded. Kenny Atkinson, the Cavaliers new head coach, once coached a young Allen with the Brooklyn Nets. In fact, a large part of the reason Atkinson lost his job with the Nets was due to his staunch support of starting Allen over Deandre Jordan.
Atkinson also mentioned in a recent radio interview with Cleveland’s 92.3 The Fan that he believes he can effectively develop the team’s core, saying “[the Cavaliers] got four all stars. We got to make it work. And that’s part of the reason I’m here.”
Whether or not the Cavaliers end up dealing Garland and/or Allen, they should enter next season with a clearer focus of how to succeed in the east.
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Featured photo courtesy of NBA.com
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