Cavs' Donovan Mitchell Noncommittal on Contract amid Gilbert Comments, NBA Rumors

Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Donovan Mitchell was noncommittal when asked for a reaction to team owner Dan Gilbert expressing confidence that the team would sign the five-time All-Star to a contract extension.

Gilbert made the comments on Thursday to 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. "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."

The 27-year-old Mitchell is averaging 27.1 points, 6.1 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game. He's currently under contract through next season with a player option for 2025-26.

Per Lage, Mitchell is eligible for a four-year, $200 million contract extension with the Cavs.

Of course, if he doesn't take an extension offer, then the trade chatter is going to grow exponentially louder. Cleveland can't afford to lose Mitchell for nothing should he decline his player option and enter free agency in 2025.

Trade rumors and speculation have already run rampant as it is.

Jovan Buha of The Athletic reported in February that the Lakers wanted to add another star and mentioned Mitchell, Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young or Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving this offseason as "potential trade targets."

Last December, ESPN's Brian Windhorst had this to say on the Hoop Collective podcast (h/t Peter Sunjic of Inside the Nets) regarding the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets being in the mix if Mitchell becomes available.

"I would say the Knicks and the Nets are riding on the line," he said. "Those two teams where I think Donovan would have a chance of re-signing. If they got into a bidding war, I think that could be interesting."

Understandably, there would be plenty of interest in the game's top guards, especially one right in the middle of his prime.

For now, Mitchell is focused on the present as he works his way back from a broken nose that sidelined him for six games. He made his comeback on Friday, posting 12 points and eight assists in a 117-114 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, vaulting his team into third place in the Eastern Conference in the process.