Donovan Mitchell made his presence felt in Cleveland — his first season in wine and gold was the best of his career.
Mitchell averaged 28.3 points with 4.4 assists a game, shooting 38.6% from 3, getting to the rim at his highest rate in years, and getting to the line more than he had his final season in Utah. Mitchell — like the entire Cavaliers team — struggled as their playoff series against the Knicks went on, but Cleveland has something with its backcourt of Mitchell and Darius Garland. It feels like a team ready to make a big step forward (especially with the addition of Max Strus and George Niang on the wing).
The Cavaliers would love to lock Mitchell up beyond the two seasons left on his contract, but Mitchell said at media day he is not signing an extension with the team now. Maybe next summer that changes. Via Chris Fedor at Cleveland.com.
“I still have the opportunity to sign an extension next summer,” Mitchell said... “My primary focus is this. Just trying to go out there and trying to be the best team we can be and bring a championship to the city and go from there. We added new additions. We obviously had a season that you could kind of rate went really well until it went really poorly. So, for us, that’s where all of our heads are at. That’s where my head is at.”
Like Giannis Antetokounmpo, it makes no financial sense for Mitchell to sign right now. The most the Cavaliers can offer Mitchell this offseason (before the season starts) is three years at about $149 million (depending on where next season’s
salary cap falls). If he waits until next July, Mitchell can sign a four-year max extension worth more than $200 million (because he was traded on his first contract extension, he is not eligible for a supermax). The smart move is to wait. (Again like Antetokounmpo, if Mitchell doesn’t sign an extension next summer it’s time to worry.)
If the Cavaliers take a step forward this season (as I and others expect will happen), Cleveland management will want to keep the core together and pay Mitchell (eventually something will have to give, maybe Jarrett Allen, but that’s a few years away). The four-time All-Star will get his payday.
Just not this offseason.
