Re-signing Davion Mitchell figures to be an offseason priority for the Heat, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. The 26-year-old guard, who was acquired from the Raptors as part of the Jimmy Butler trade, has become a valuable component of Miami’s defense during his two months with the team.
“I’ve shown it this whole year,” he said. “With Toronto I was able to showcase some of the things I can do. I think that’s the reason why Miami traded for me. They can see what I can do. They can see what I do for this culture and I fit right in.”
The Heat can make Mitchell a restricted free agent — giving them the option to match any offer he receives — by tendering an $8.7MM qualifying offer. A former NBA executive told Winderman that Mitchell’s next contract is likely to start in that range, projecting something in the neighborhood of $30MM over three years. Mitchell recently locked in the value of his QO by topping 2,000 minutes for the season, which meant meeting the starter criteria.
Mitchell was expected to be part of the future in Sacramento when he was selected with the ninth pick in the 2021 draft, but he fell out of the Kings’ rotation after a promising rookie year. After being traded twice over the past 10 months, Mitchell hopes he’s found a more stable situation with the Heat.
“To play basketball in Miami, it’s a blessing,” he said. “I love being here. It’s a spot I come to during the summer, so I’m familiar with it and I got a lot of people out here that I know.”
There’s more on the Heat:
- Miami is trying to make history by becoming the first 10th seed ever to advance through the play-in tournament and earn a playoff spot, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. The Heat are brimming with confidence after Wednesday’s convincing win at Chicago, and they’re ready to take the same approach to tonight’s game against the Hawks. “We locked in defensively,” Andrew Wiggins said. “This has to carry over to Atlanta. We got one more game to do the same thing. Lock in defensively and the offense will follow.”
- Coach Erik Spoelstra expects Nikola Jovic and Pelle Larsson to be in uniform tonight, Chiang tweets. Jovic, who hasn’t played since February 23 due to a broken right hand, isn’t likely to see any action, although Spoelstra joked that he might be used as an inbounder. Larsson, who sprained his ankle last week, hasn’t appeared in a game since April 7.
- Kevin Love is away from the team again due to personal reasons, Chiang adds (Twitter link). Love has only played 23 times this season and hasn’t gotten into a game since logging six minutes on March 21.
Mitchell is far better than Moody
Moody signed 3 years $39 mm
Heat would take Walter Clayton at 18th pick then trade up
Heat got huge value for Butler deal
Walter Clayton won’t be picked that high.
He’s too slow for a 6-2 guard to be a starter and that’s what you hope for in the top 20.
He’s the perfect combo guard sort of like Jalen Suggs. Does it all and is very poised. Won’t hurt you coming off the bench and be wild.
Clayton jr Van Fleet.
Huge value for Jimmy Butler?
They received Wiggins who is an NBA starter so that’s pretty good, they got a first round pick which is pretty good, and they got Davion Mitchell who’s also a rotation guy.
So I don’t know about a huge return.
It’s the standard three for one.., a star for several pieces deal we’ve seen in the past.
Charles Barkley to Phoenix for Andrew Lang, and two other middling dudes. Shaquille O’Neal to the Lakers for three whatever guys to Orlando. You get what I’m saying.
Shaq signed with the Lakers as a free agent
Good catch !! I mixed up Orlando to the Lakers and Shaq from LA to the Heat for three middling guys. Thank you I appreciate it.
Brian Grant was in that deal. I think his picture might be by “middling”
Shaq to Miami for Lamar Odom, Caron Butler and Brian Grant.
Brian Grant was bothered by injuries in the Lakers, but he was an important part of the extremely tough Blazers that were one quarter away from jettisoning the Lakers out of the finals in the 2000 playoffs.
Caron Butler, a solid player in Miami, and the Lakers, and then an extremely solid forward for the Wizards, an All Star there and an integral part of that tough Wizards team.
Lamar Odom, became one of the most important players in the champion Lakers of the Kobe-Gasol era. He was a highly touted and high lottery pick of the Clippers some years before.
They weren’t on Shaq’s level individually at the time, undoubtedly, but they also we’re far from a middling return
Good call. I can’t get anything past you guys. Even my attempt to give an example from 25 years ago doesn’t slip by real basketball fans. Good assessments and facts Julian.
Considering they had to trade Butler, I’d say they got a lot. Wiggins is a solid starter and Mitchell plays starter minutes even though he comes off the bench. Anderson is a rotation player, and a 1st round pick is always good. Butler is older, ofter injured and a pain in the ass. Yes, Heat got a lot.
Daivon has really found a home in Miami and I’m happy for him. I remember rookie year he got the nickname off night cause of his on ball defence. Think he really works well next to Herro in the backcourt just like Ware and Bam work down low. Just need Wiggins to be consistently good on the wing for them.
I think they walk past ATL. Bam and Ware beat out Onyeka. Trae has to deal with Daivon and Wiggins. Dyson Daniel’s will make things harder for Herro but I really rate Herros ability to step up.
Risacher has been nice recently but Wiggins has him. Off the bench they are even, LeVert Niang vs Duncan Robinson, Highsmith, Jovic, Burks and so on
Kevin Love needs to be sent packing. Missing a win or go home play-in game? For “personal reasons?” Miami fans should be outraged at this bum. What is more important than being there for your team, whether he would have played or not? Time to go, Kevin.