Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert believes star guard Donovan Mitchell will eventually sign a long-term extension to remain in Cleveland, per Larry Lage of The Associated Press.
“We’ve been talking to him, sure, for the last couple of years about extending this contract,” Gilbert said Thursday in an interview with The Associated Press. “We think he will extend. I think if you listen to him talk, he loves the city.
“He loves the situation in Cleveland because our players are very young and we’re just kind of putting the core together that he’s clearly the biggest part of.”
Mitchell is currently in the third season of a five-year rookie scale extension he signed with Utah prior to being traded to Cleveland in 2022. However, the 27-year-old could become a free agent in 2025 if he declines his $37.1MM player option for 2025/26.
A five-time All-Star, Mitchell made his first All-NBA appearance in ’22/23. While Mitchell won’t earn an All-NBA spot this season (he has missed too many games to qualify), that won’t have any impact on his next contract, since he’s no longer eligible for a super-max deal after being traded. He will be extension-eligible as of this July, however.
The Cavaliers could offer Mitchell a new contract that’s worth 30% of the ’25/26 cap and covers up to four seasons (through ’28/29), with 8% annual raises. Based on the latest cap projections, that four-year max extension would be worth an estimated $199MM.
Mitchell, who has been dealing with a nagging knee injury as well as a nasal fracture, could reportedly return to action on Friday. He has missed the past six games — and 13 of the past 15 — as he recovers from the injuries.
The Cavaliers have been in a skid of late, going 4-8 over their last 12 games to currently hold a 44-29 record, good for the No. 4 seed in the East. They’ve gone 11-13 without Mitchell this season, Lage notes.
Brooklyn believes they can bring him back home to the crib.
Brooklyn also believed they were capable of being a playoff team this year.
They found a point guard in Dennis Schroeder. They found out that Mikhail Bridges is not a franchise player. Confirmed Ben Simmons can’t stay healthy. Confirmed Jacque Vaughn was not the guy to coach. Confirmed that Kevin Ollie was not the guy to coach. All was not lost.
Donovan will absolutely come home to play. That has always been his desire. The “alpha” they need to put next to Bridges.
The Schroder thing is funny because if Mitchell is going anywhere he’s playing PG on his next team
Other than playing at home there’s no reason for him to want to go to Brooklyn. He’ll get the same amount of money after a sign and trade but the Nets would have to give up too much salary to be competitive afterwards. The Cavs aren’t going to take Simmons or Johnson so any trade would have to start with Bridges and Finney-Smith and future firsts from Phoenix. I could see the Cavs taking that package as those two players would help the Cavs immensely but it wouldn’t be because Mitchell wants to go there.
In Cleveland he’s the centerpiece of a potential contender. Boston is going to have a payroll reckoning very soon and Cleveland is just as good as Milwaukee or New York.
Mitchell seems like the genuinely loyal type anyway. I think he would’ve been just as happy staying in Utah if the Cavs hadn’t offered a deal the Jazz a deal they couldn’t refuse.
I don’t think that’s the case. The Jazz traded him because he wasn’t going to resign. Not exactly loyal.
They traded Mitchell because they needed to rebuild after trading Gobert. That team has run it’s course. Conley and Ingles were getting old. Getting Markkanen on a very team friendly contract and three first rounders helped them make that decision as well.
@chucktoad – You underestimate the desire to play at home when home is New York. When you have personally witnessed within your own family what it is like to have the Massive fan base in New York behind you.
Ask the Knicks what they are feeling from the fans right now. Knick fans will dish out the negative all day. But when you win, you will be loved like no other. The current version of the Knicks are feeling the love right now.
Why do you think Utah traded him??? How much different is living in Cleveland vs. Utah for a kid from New York????
I lived in Salt Lake in my mid twenties and still travel there frequently. I’ve visited Cleveland a couple times. I can tell you from first hand experience there’s a huge difference in the culture and nightlife between the two. I’ll give you this neither compares to New York though.
He’s in a better position financially and competitively in Cleveland though. If he gets traded again he still won’t be eligible for a super max and most likely never will be. Meanwhile Brooklyn is several players away with no means to aquire others as they’d be out of picks as well as their best player afterwards.
If Mitchell was smart he’d just wait next year out and walk into cap with Brklyn
I still think he’ll probably become a free agent but if not you’re right, that would be difficult to pursue
I think he needs the money to support his habit…going to weigh into his decision
What habit are you talking about?
Like the nose injury wasnt a big hint…
I think you are projecting.
Accusing a player of drug use without any *actual* evidence is extremely scummy.
Waiting for the proof that I’m wrong…
This website is called hoops “rumors” by the way.
Some things you don’t say, regardless of whether you think you’re right or not. It’s called common decency.
Hard to believe Gilbert is even engaging the media on this issue at this point. DM will sign an extension this summer or he won’t, in which event they’ll almost have to trade him. Some people are uncomfortable with silence, and Gilbert seems like one.
So much for Spida coming home to MSG. All talk wants to come home but doesn’t. I hope we win a Chip without him.
Heard that before. The guy even came from Cleveland.
Mitchell is headed to NY.
Mitchell says he wants to win, above all. However, he tends to choke in the playoffs, oddly enough. He can take over games, but he’s more of a 2nd best player on a championship team. Sometimes he can be the 1st best, but not consistently enough to get past the 2nd round.
Not sure I’d want to spend $50M/year on a guy like that, unless you have money to burn. (luxury tax city)
He is a great guy. I really enjoyed watching him play. I’m just glad the Jazz were able to get such good value in a trade for him. It’s what was needed to move forward. The Jazz had no assets to make moves.