Back in 2024, most insiders and fans thought Donovan Mitchell's tenure in Cleveland would be a short one. Rumors of his ties to the New York Knicks flooded social media, and he sounded non-committal on his future with the organization.
Mitchell shut down all speculation by signing a three-year, $150.3 million maximum extension that could technically keep him in town through the 2027-28 season. However, with a player option for that final year, he was always expected to get a new deal sooner than that.
That's why the Cavs may have turned to a desperate measure to make sure he stays in The Land. According to ESPN insider Brian Windhorst, they wouldn't have pulled the trigger to trade for James Harden if they were fully convinced he was going to stay.
Trading for James Harden may have been the Cavs' last resort with Donovan Mitchell
"If the Cavs felt good about where they were with getting Donovan to re-sign, they don't make two major at the deadline," Windhorst told Anthony Rizzo on ESPN Cleveland Radio.
Mitchell can opt out of his contract and become a free agent in 2027. By reaching 10 years of NBA service, he can also get a five-year, $380 million supermax contract extension in 2027, which is what the Cavs hope he'll do.
There were always rumblings about Mitchell's pairing with Darius Garland and how they may not be the best fit on the court. They swapped him for a player 10 years older. However, Harden can raise the team's competitive ceiling for the next couple of years.
It was a bold gamble that needs to pay off in the short-term, but it was the right move to prove to Mitchell that they're serious about contending and -- more importantly -- that they're fully committed to him.
Harden and Mitchell already had a cordial relationship as fellow Adidas athletes. They knew one another well on and off the court, having worked out together and attended several brand-related events across the years.
Not many people saw Harden as a guy who might be on the move, especially given that the Los Angeles Clippers had no incentive to tank this season because they didn't even own their first-round pick. So, once the opportunity struck, Koby Altman didn't hesitate to make a move.
This could all backfire tremendously if Mitchell still decides that Cleveland isn't the place to be. Then again, it was a risk worth taking if the front office was still convinced that he was the right guy to lead them back to the top.