Cleveland Cavaliers star guard Donovan Mitchell has his team in the midst of a tremendous stretch. Cleveland entered Wednesday’s game against the Chicago Bulls at 35-17 and as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Cavs have also won 22 of 27 since a 13-12 start to the season.
This recent hot stretch comes following months of rumors about Mitchell’s future in Cleveland after they acquired him from the Utah Jazz in a blockbuster trade ahead of the 2022-23 season.
Mitchell, 27, is currently playing under a five-year, $163 million contract. He has an ability to opt out of said contract following the 2024-25 season, something that is increasingly likely to happen.
Despite Cleveland’s status as a top-end contender in the Eastern Conference, questions about Mitchell’s future with the team continue to come up. That has not died down since the NBA trade deadline earlier in February.
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Report indicates Donovan Mitchell will leave the Cleveland Cavaliers in free agency
“There’s no doubt he’s leaving once his contract ends,” one Eastern Conference executive recently told Howard Beck of The Ringer.
Having played in Salt Lake City and Cleveland throughout his career, there are some who believe that the five-time All-Star wants to take advantage of a larger market. Hence, why he’s been linked to his hometown New York Knicks in never-ending trade rumors over the past couple years.
The question here is obvious. Will Cleveland bite the bullet and trade Mitchell this coming summer rather than risk losing him for nothing after the 2024-25 season? The summer trade market is much more friendly to sellers than the in-season trade deadline, which will lead to further speculation in this regard.
- Donovan Mitchell stats (2023-24): 28.3 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 6.3 APG, 48% shooting
Mitchell has proven that he can be a franchise cornerstone. Larger-market teams would love to bring the 27-year-old guard into the mix.
In addition to the Knicks, that includes squads like the Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Clippers and even the Golden State Warriors.
If this report about Mitchell bolting in free agency is true, we’re going to hear continued rumors this summer regardless of what happens with the Cavaliers moving forward on the season. That’s for sure.