Donovan Mitchell Trade Rumors: Cavs 'Planning to Ride out This Season' amid Heat Buzz

The Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly have no plans to trade Donovan Mitchell despite buzz about the Miami Heat potentially being interested in trading for the All-Star guard.

Sam Vecenie of The Athletic reported the Cavaliers are "planning to ride out this season" with Mitchell on their roster. Mitchell is under contract through the 2024-25 season and has a player option for 2025-26, which he will almost certainly decline in an effort to land a long-term contract.

As it stands, Mitchell's average annual salary for his contract ($32.6 million) ranks 32nd in the NBA due to the timing of his rookie extension. He will be eligible for a max contract extension that will pay him more than $50 million a year this summer, and it's a virtual certainty the Cavs will offer him the contract.

Whether Mitchell signs the deal will likely inform Cleveland's position on trading Mitchell this summer.

It's well-known that the Cavaliers were not Mitchell's first choice when he angled for a trade from the Utah Jazz in 2022. The New York Knicks were far and away Mitchell's preferred destination and were the favorite throughout the process of Utah exploring the market before Cleveland swooped in at the last minute.

The Cavs went 51-31 in Mitchell's first season in Cleveland, making the playoffs for the first time without LeBron James since 1998. That said, they were eliminated in the first round by the Knicks and are on a similarly middling trajectory this season at 22-15.

Given Mitchell left Utah in part due to the Jazz's inability to make a dent in the playoffs, it's unlikely he's particularly thrilled with being on another team destined for early postseason exits.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported the Heat have "bona fide interest" in trading for Mitchell despite Cleveland's continued reluctance to make a move.

This is a situation worth monitoring in the coming months, but don't expect anything major to happen unless Mitchell tries to force his way out.