Donovan Mitchell Rumors: Cavs 'Very Optimistic' About New Contract amid Trade Buzz

Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell has just one year remaining on his contract before he is faced with a player option for the 2025-26 season, but the Cavs organization reportedly feels good about its chances of signing him to an extension.

Speaking on the Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective podcast (beginning at the 52:10 mark), ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst said the Cavaliers are "very optimistic" they will be able to get a deal done with their star player.

Cleveland acquired Mitchell from the Utah Jazz in a blockbuster trade in 2022, and since his arrival he has been named an All-Star twice and has led the Cavs to two playoff appearances.

Mitchell went to the playoffs in each of his five seasons with the Jazz, but he won only two playoff series during that time, and Utah never advanced past the second round.

With the team unable to get over the hump, it traded Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Mitchell to he Cavs for a bevy of players and draft picks.

Cleveland sent Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, Ochai Agbaji, three first-round picks and two picks swaps for Mitchell, who was a three-time All-Star at the time.

Mitchell has been every bit as good as advertised since then, as he finished sixth in the NBA MVP voting last season and was a second-team All-NBA selection by virtue of his averages of 28.3 points, 4.4 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 3.6 three-pointers made and 1.5 steals per game.

Injuries limited Mitchell to just 55 games during the 2023-24 regular season, but he remained highly productive when healthy, averaging 26.6 points, 6.1 assists, 5.1 rebounds, 3.3 three-pointers made and 1.8 steals per contest.

The 27-year-old Mitchell helped the Cavs beat the Orlando Magic in the first round of the playoffs, marking their first playoff series win since 2018, which was LeBron James' final year with the team.

It was also the first time the Cavaliers won a playoff series without James on the roster since 1993.

Mitchell and the Cavs lost to the top-seeded Boston Celtics in five games in the second round, immediately drumming up rumors and speculation regarding Mitchell's future with the team.

On Thursday, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski (h/t RealGM) said on NBA Countdown that Mitchell suggested to him that he is happy in Cleveland, although he didn't make a long-term commitment:

"I reached out to Donovan Mitchell today, and he was emphatic in telling me that he is not disgruntled with anyone or anything in Cleveland. In fact, he said to me, 'I am happy in Cleveland. I've been happy since I arrived in Cleveland.' He thinks this team has made progress this season. ... But as he said, he's not in this to go to the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

"Donovan Mitchell knows the question that is coming for him now in this offseason about his future in Cleveland. He said, 'I know I've got decision to make this offseason. My agent and I will talk to Cleveland about that at the right time.'

"[Mitchell] emphasized, 'I'm not leaving this season unhappy. I'm leaving it more determined.'"

Assuming Mitchell sticks around, the Cavs will essentially have their entire core back next season with Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, Caris LeVert and Max Strus all under contract.

That team should be among the best in the Eastern Conference again, but if Mitchell is not amenable to a contract extension, the Cavs will have to at least explore trading him to avoid losing him for nothing after the 2024-25 season.

While a trade isn't outside the realm of possibility, Windhorst expressed his belief that it is far more likely the Cavaliers will field trade calls on Allen, who has two years remaining on his deal at a salary of $20 million.