Despite occasional trade rumors in recent months, Donovan Mitchell is committed to the Cleveland Cavaliers for the next few years.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Mitchell and Cleveland agreed to a new three-year, $150.3 million contract on Tuesday, which includes a player option for the 2027-28 season.
The agreement was confirmed by Mitchell, who posted his famous “I'm not quitting” video. The Wolf of Wall Street About X:
The structure of this deal is noteworthy because Mitchell was eligible to sign for up to four years and $207.8 million, but could hit the market when he turns 30 if he signs a three-year extension with a player option.
The Louisville native was under contract through the 2024-25 season with a player option for 2025-26 worth $37.1 million.
especially, Shams Charania The Athletic and Stadium reported in May that Cleveland was “highly optimistic” that Mitchell would re-sign on a four-year deal following the firing of head coach J.B. Bickerstaff and the subsequent hiring of Kenny Atkinson.
That optimism turned out to be justified.
Mitchell also provided some sort of timeline for how his contract decision may unfold when he told reporters at media day ahead of the 2023-24 season that he won't sign a contract extension that year but could do so in the future.
“I want them to know that I still have a chance to sign an extension next summer,” he said. “I don't think a lot of people understand that.”
Mitchell is focused on winning a championship, saying, “I'm really excited about what we've done here. Maybe we can accomplish something special. Ultimately, we'll make it happen when the season is over.”
Chris Feder of Cleveland.com explained that Mitchell would have been eligible to sign a three-year extension worth about $150 million in the 2023 offseason, but if he waited until this offseason to sign, he would have gotten a year added to his contract and would have been eligible for more money, so at the time of these comments, there was little incentive for him to rush into signing an extension.
President of basketball operations Koby Altman seems to agree.
“My conversations with him have been very positive, about the roster, the style of play this year, how he's going to bring his teammates along, where he's going to train in the offseason,” he said at the time. “I know he wants to be a part of this project and is excited to get this season started and try to win big.”
Mitchell is expected to be a part of the Cavaliers for some time to come and be a driving force for the team.
He was named to the All-NBA Second Team in his first season with Cleveland and made an immediate impact on the team, averaging 28.3 points, 4.4 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 38.6 percent from deep.
The Cavaliers were disappointed with their first-round exit from the playoffs, but with Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen leading the way, the future still looked bright.
Last season, he averaged 26.6 points, 6.1 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 1.8 steals while shooting 46.2 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from 3-point range to be named to his fifth consecutive All-Star team.
Cleveland defeated the Orlando Magic in the first round of the playoffs to advance to the second round, but lost to the Boston Celtics in five games. Mitchell missed the final two games of the series against Boston due to a calf injury.
Mitchell was a three-time All-Star during his five seasons with the Utah Jazz and established himself as one of the best guards in the league, dominating games with his outside shooting and attacking the basket and sure to be a central part of Cleveland's offense for years to come.
Now, his contract will likely remain secure as he searches for his first career championship.
