Report: Donovan Mitchell Will Decline Extension From Cavaliers, Look For New Team

According to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, the buzz in NBA circles suggests that barring a run to the NBA Finals, Donovan Mitchell will decline an extension from the Cleveland Cavaliers and look elsewhere.

The Cavaliers are more likely than not to move Mitchell well before he can leave outright as a free agent.

Mitchell can sign an extension for up to four years and about $200 million this summer. The 27-year-old has a player option worth $37 million for the 2025-26 season. He can become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2025 if he declines that player option. 

Mitchell recently told NBA reporters he would “handle” his future with the Cavaliers when the time is appropriate. 

“I think the biggest thing for me, as I said before to you earlier, I mean obviously you have to ask the question, but my focus is I got a lot of things to focus on outside of that right now,” Mitchell said, via The Athletic. “I’ve got to focus on myself, getting back for this group, focus on us getting over this stretch, continuing to be ready when it comes time.

“So, I’ll handle that when it comes, and I understand you gotta ask that question and I’ll give you the same answer.”

The Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets have been linked to Mitchell, who doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract. 

Mitchell is averaging 26.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.0 assists this season while shooting 46.3% from the floor, 36.8% from beyond the arc and 86.8% from the free-throw line.

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. 

For what it’s worth, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert told Larry Lage of The Associated Press that he’s confident Mitchell will sign an extension this offseason. Cleveland acquired Mitchell from Utah in September 2022. 

“We’ve been talking to him, sure, for the last couple of years about extending this contract,” Gilbert said Thursday in an interview with The Associated Press. “We think he will extend. I think if you listen to him talk, he loves the city. He loves the situation in Cleveland because our players are very young and we’re just kind of putting the core together that he’s clearly the biggest part of.”

The Cavaliers are 46-31 on the season. They are in third place in the Eastern Conference standings. 

If the regular season ended today, the Cavaliers would face the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the 2024 playoffs.