Donovan Mitchell and his Cleveland Cavaliers are set to take on the upstart Orlando Magic in the first round of the NBA Playoffs starting on Saturday.
Cleveland put up a solid regular season, boasting a 48-34 record and earning home-court advantage in the first round.
This has not stopped rumors from surfacing relating to a potential Mitchell trade from the Cavaliers during the summer.
The star guard has a $37.10 million contract option for the 2025-26 season, one that he’s more than likely going to decline. With no long-term extension in the cards, Cleveland’s brass might be forced to trade Mitchell as a way to acquire assets for the star guard.
After all, the Cavaliers did yield three first-round picks as the centerpieces headed to the Utah Jazz in the blockbuster trade for Mitchell ahead of the 2022-23 season.
- Donovan Mitchell stats (2023-24): 26.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 6.1 APG, 46% shooting, 37% 3-point
There is going to be obvious interest in a 27-year-old guard who is just now entering his prime and has put up a stellar career thus far. That goes without saying.
Related: Buzz around the NBA that the Cleveland Cavaliers will trade Donovan Mitchell
Brooklyn Nets linked to Donovan Mitchell in NBA trade rumors
New York Post Brooklyn Nets beat Brian Lewis noted recently (h/t HoopsHype) that the Nets are expected to be interested in Mitchell this coming summer.
The off-court fit is rather obvious. Mitchell is a native of New York City. He had in the past talked a lot about playing in his home city. While most of that has focused on the New York Knicks, Brooklyn also makes a ton of sense.
The Nets are coming off an ugly 50-loss season. They just hired former Sacramento Kings assistant Jordi Fernandez to be their next head coach.
Meanwhile, there are remaining questions about what the core group in Brooklyn is capable of moving forward. General manager Sean Marks loves veteran forward Mikal Bridges and will likely look to lock him up on a long-term contract this summer. Wing Cam Thomas (22.5 PPG in 2023-24) also fits into the equation moving forward.
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After that, there is not a lot to write home about. The enigmatic Ben Simmons has played a total of 45 games over the past three seasons due to numerous injury issues. He’s set to become a free agent after the 2024-25 season with a total of $40.34 million due in the former No. 1 pick’s contract year. That expiring becomes valuable in a potential blockbuster trade.