Donovan Mitchell Rumors: Rivals Think Cavs Will Trade Star If He Rejects New Contract

While the Cleveland Cavaliers have found success since trading for shooting guard Donovan Mitchell, there is a "growing belief among rival teams" that Cleveland could trade him if he doesn't agree to an extension in the coming months, per NBA insider Marc Stein.

"As discussed here on multiple occasions, Mitchell will be entering the final guaranteed year of his current contract next season if there's no extension, leading to a growing belief among rival teams that the Cavaliers will be forced to trade Mitchell in coming months if they cannot come to terms with him an extension," Stein wrote.

Mitchell is currently in the third year of a five-year, $163 million deal and will have a player option in the 2025-26 season. He will be an unrestricted free agent in 2026.

In his second season with the Cavs, Mitchell is averaging 26.5 points, 6.1 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game. Cleveland currently holds the No. 4 seed in the East but has a chance to secure a top-three seed if it closes out the season with a pair of wins and the New York Knicks lose one of their final two games.

Last season, the Cavs faced a first-round exit to the Knicks, but they are looking for a better showing this postseason. With Mitchell and point guard Darius Garland making up a solid backcourt and Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley securing things in the paint, a deep playoff run seems fathomable.

Things could get tricky this offseason as Cleveland looks to sign Mitchell to a long-term deal, but Cavs owner Dan Gilbert has faith that Mitchell will sign an extension this summer.

"We've been talking to him, sure, for the last couple of years about extending this contract," Gilbert said in March. "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."

Should he sign an extension, Mitchell could be eligible for a four-year extension worth up to $200 million based on the NBA's collective bargaining agreement. If the Cavs want to win a championship in the post-LeBron James era, having Mitchell around seems integral.