Donovan Mitchell Contract Scenarios Outlined by Windhorst Ahead of Cavs vs. Pistons Game 7
The Cleveland Cavaliers' future will arrive quicker than the franchise wanted if it loses Game 7 of its second-round series to the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, and discussions about Donovan Mitchell's contract situation figure to be a major part of that future.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported on the situation Sunday and explained the star guard "doesn't have to do anything this summer" since he has a $50 million salary for 2026-27 and a $54 million player option for 2027-28.
Yet he also reported "that could make the Cavs uneasy" since they "will likely want to replace Mitchell's option season with a new contract in July, when they can add four years and up to $272 million."
From Mitchell's perspective, he can sign for five years and approximately $350 million if he waits until 2027 for a new deal since he would reach 10 years of service time at that point.
That deal could also include a no-trade clause and, as Windhorst explained, "a massive difference in guaranteed money for a player who would be in his mid-30s by the time the extra season kicked in."
However, such a path would create plenty of uncertainty for the Cavaliers because it would mean free agency was looming and additional assessment periods for the front office before giving such a rich deal to someone who will be in a latter stage of his career.
The team could ask itself if Mitchell is the player who could help it reach the next level and compete for a championship if it loses Sunday's game. And Mitchell may be asking himself similar questions and wondering if the roster the Cavaliers have put together around him is the one that can help him reach the NBA Finals.
After all, he has never made it past the second round of the playoffs throughout his career.
His Utah Jazz teams made the postseason in all five of his years in the Western Conference just to lose in the first or second round each time. And Cleveland would lose in the second round for the third consecutive year if it doesn't figure out a way to defeat the Pistons on the road Sunday.
To say Sunday is a pressure-packed game for the organization would be quite the understatement.
In addition to questions about Donovan's future, James Harden would also be under the spotlight. He has a $42.3 million player option for next season and will be 37 years old for the 2026-27 campaign.
"Though a formal agreement is not allowed to be completed before the offseason, there is an understanding that the Cavs plan to work out a new deal to retain Harden," Windhorst reported. "... No matter how this playoff run unfolds, Harden, who has been inconsistent in the postseason again, will likely be coming back to Cleveland this summer on a multiyear deal."
It should be noted Windhorst also reported the Cavaliers "probably" would give a "firm 'no'" if directly asked if a disappointing end to the campaign would cause it to reconsider not bringing Donovan back with a new and larger deal.
So that means the Harden and Mitchell duo could be leading the way for years to come in Cleveland.
If the guards don't want questions about the future to continue to linger, they will need to defeat the Pistons and take the next step in the playoffs.
