Cavs Showing ‘A Lot Of Optimism’ Donovan Mitchell Will Sign Max Extension

The Cavaliers fired coach J.B. Bickerstaff on Thursday but that will be far from their biggest move of the offseason. Everything else centers on star guard Donovan Mitchell, and whether he will sign a contract extension.

Well, sources have told Hoops Wire the Cavs believe Mitchell will do just that, and many others are reporting the same. That includes Shams Charania of The Athletic, who offered an update during his regular spot on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back.

“There is a lot of optimism around the Cavaliers that they’re going to get a commitment from Donovan Mitchell on a 4-year $208 million extension,” Charania said.

Now, that doesn’t mean the Cavs have gotten such a commitment. It just means they like their chances. For starters, no one else can pay Mitchell what the Cavs can. He is also said to be happy in Cleveland.

Those two things usually result in a player committing for four years at a max deal. Not always — but often.

"J. B. Bickerstaff is out as head coach in Cleveland, sources tell me that Kenny Atkinson and James Borrego are among the leading candidates to replace Bickerstaff…There is a lot of optimism around the Cavs that they're going to get a commitment from Donovan Mitchell on a… pic.twitter.com/9NkzsXTIkm

— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) May 23, 2024

It’s been reported that Mitchell “did not have great confidence” in Bickerstaff.

“Though Cleveland improved under Bickerstaff, his teams scuffled after the All-Star break in each of the last three seasons,” wrote Charania, Joe Vardon and Jason Lloyd for The Athletic. “Also, and perhaps most importantly, Cavs star Donovan Mitchell, among other players, did not have great confidence in Bickerstaff as the coach for the future, numerous league sources have said for most of the season.”

In his second season with the Cavs, Mitchell averaged 26.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.1 assists while shooting 46.2 percent from the field, 36.8 percent on 3-pointers and 86.5 percent on free throws.

The playoffs were more of the same, as he erupted for 50 points in a Game 6 loss to the Orlando Magic in the first round. The Cavs narrowly escaped that matchup before losing to the Boston Celtics in five games in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Mitchell missed the final two games of the Celtics series with a calf injury.