Cavaliers Had Somebody With Donovan Mitchell On His Europe Trip: ‘This Is Their Franchise Player’

According to NBA insider Brian Windhorst of ESPN, the Cleveland Cavaliers had somebody with Donovan Mitchell on his Europe trip. 

Mitchell is expected to sign a four-year extension with the Cavaliers this offseason. 

“I’m just gonna tell you this, the Cavs had somebody with him over there to do workouts, this is their franchise player,” – Windy on Donovan Mitchell’s recent trip to Europe.

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— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) June 20, 2024

Mitchell can sign a four-year, $208 million extension. He is under contract for next season and has a $37 million player option for 2025-26.

One of the top scorers in the NBA, Mitchell averaged 26.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.1 assists this season while shooting 46.2% from the field, 36.8% from beyond the arc and 86.5% from the free-throw line.

The Cavaliers defeated the Orlando Magic in the first round of the playoffs in seven games but lost to the Boston Celtics in the second round in five games. Mitchell didn’t play in Games 4 and 5 of the Celtics series due to an injury. 

A New York native, Mitchell has career averages of 24.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists with the Utah Jazz and Cavaliers. He scored a career-high 71 points last season against the Chicago Bulls.

According to NBA insider Matt Moore of The Action Network, Mitchell’s new deal with the Cavaliers will have a player option.

“Donovan Mitchell’s (likely, almost definitely) staying (probably),” Moore wrote. “The word in NBA circles is that Mitchell will re-sign with the Cavaliers, a major coup for Koby Altman and the Cavs’ front office. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype was the first to report the significant element, that Mitchell will sign a deal that takes him through three seasons, allowing him to enter free agency after 10 years of service, which will bump his pay structure. There’s a belief the deal will have a player option for Mitchell in the fourth year to protect Mitchell and maximize flexibility.”

The Cavaliers still need to hire a coach. They are widely expected to hire James Borrego, although Kenny Atkinson is still in the mix. 

According to NBA insider Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Cavaliers prioritize offensive innovation and creativity in their coaching search.