Windhorst: Donovan Mitchell's Cavs Influence May Be Stronger Than LeBron with Lakers
Donovan Mitchell has plenty of leverage with the Cleveland Cavaliers this offseason.
So much leverage, in fact, that it reportedly could eclipse the leverage LeBron James has with the Los Angeles Lakers.
"Donovan's position with the Cavs right now is potentially as powerful as any team with any star player," ESPN's Brian Windhorst said during a Wednesday appearance on 850 ESPN Cleveland.
"With possible trades coming, with the type of contract he's going to get offered. With the coaching position open. What Donovan has with the Cavs is what LeBron has with the Lakers. In fact, it might even be stronger because the Lakers have another superstar player on their roster. And LeBron's about to turn 40. Donovan is entering his prime."
Mitchell is signed through next season and has a player option for the 2025-26 campaign but is also eligible for an extension this offseason.
Cleveland will surely want him to sign it as it looks to build on its second-round playoff appearance this season. It would also eliminate the long-term doubt Mitchell choosing not to sign it would cause, as the Cavaliers may have to trade him to avoid losing him for nothing in free agency in that hypothetical.
That Windhorst mentioned James is notable because there are plenty of parallels between the Cavaliers and Lakers at this time.
Their star players' futures are topics of discussion this offseason with Mitchell extension eligible and James facing a 2024-25 player option. They both have coaching vacancies after Cleveland fired J.B. Bickerstaff and Los Angeles fired Darvin Ham. And they are both a step below the elite teams in their conferences and in need of additions to make up that gap.
Assuming the front offices want James and Mitchell back, they will surely seek out feedback from both James and Mitchell when hiring their next head coach or even making roster moves.
Whether either uses that leverage to influence roster decisions remains to be seen, but this is a critical offseason for Cleveland.
Shams Charania, Joe Vardon and Jason Lloyd of The Athletic reported earlier this month that "rival executives believe the Cavs will have to seriously evaluate the fit of Mitchell and [Darius] Garland and ultimately may have to choose one or the other."
That could mean a Garland trade if Mitchell does sign his contract extension, which could open up more space to add another impact player alongside the five-time All-Star.
Cleveland could look quite different in 2024-25, and it may depend on how much leverage Mitchell uses while figuring out his own contract situation.
