After tackling the first task of hiring new head coach Kenny Atkinson, the Cavaliers ticked off the most important item on their summer to-do list by agreeing to a new three-year contract extension with Donovan Mitchell worth up to $150.5 million, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
So why not a four-year extension worth more than $200 million? This deal seems structured to give all parties involved what they really want. According to Woj, the deal gives the Cavs “the stability of a franchise player under contract beyond next season.” For Mitchell, he's now “on the fast track to a 10-year service threshold that would allow him to pursue a five-year, $380 million-plus extension in 2027.”
Since landing in Northeast Ohio in September 2022, Mitchell has played the best basketball of his seven-year career, averaging 27.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.6 steals per game in two seasons with Cleveland. He led the Cavs to consecutive postseason appearances and the franchise's first playoff series win and first series victory since LeBron James moved to Los Angeles. Without it James had his first big break since 1993, scoring in a first-round win over the Orlando Magic in April.
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