Cavs' Donovan Mitchell Doesn't 'Ever Want to Wear Another Uniform,' Says He 'Can't Ever Picture It'

Cleveland Cavaliers star guard Donovan Mitchell has endeared himself to the Midwest, and he wants to stay put for the rest of his career.

Mitchell told Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com that he signed his record-breaking four-year, $273 million extension with the Cavs this past summer because he wants to retire with the franchise.

"Everybody always says, 'Why Cleveland? Why Cleveland?' Cleveland's home," Mitchell said (h/t HoopsHype). "I don't ever want to wear another uniform. I don't have that vision. Business is business. I understand how that works. There may be a situation where we may not be in a position to win anymore and business happens, right? … But the purpose behind this extension is to be here forever. … I've got to deliver. We've got to deliver. I'm not saying an extension guarantees a championship. But that's the goal. It's why I wake up every morning. I don't want to be anywhere else. I don't see it. Can't ever picture it. I dream of myself being here forever and hopefully having 45 in the rafters one day."

Mitchell's extension keeps him in Cleveland through the 2030–31 season and set a new record for average annual salary at $68 million. The Cavs acquired the 30-year-old from the Utah Jazz in 2022, and he's remained one of the top guards in the league with seven consecutive All-Star selections.

If Mitchell had waited until next offseason to sign an extension, he would've been eligible for a deal worth $353 million over five years. However, he told Fedor that he didn't want to wait or negotiate for more money, as he signed his current deal on the first day he became eligible on July 7.

"None of my feelings have changed," Mitchell said. "That, to me, is the sign of consistency on the court. It's the sign of consistency in the organization. For an organization that says, 'Hey, we're going to do X, Y, and Z,' and four years later, I'm sitting here and I'm looking back like, man, they did say this was going to happen, this was going to be a certain way and they delivered on everything and vice-versa."

Mitchell is motivated to lead the Cavs to an NBA championship, and the team will get started on that quest when it opens the 2026-27 season on Thursday against the Philadelphia 76ers.