Donovan Mitchell becomes eligible for a four-year, $272 million extension on July 7. It's a development that is at the center of the Cleveland Cavaliers' offseason discussions, and amazingly, no one seems to know how this situation is going to shake out.
On one hand, people wonder if Mitchell will want to sign an extension this summer with a team that might be headed away from contention in the next few seasons, not towards it. The Cavaliers just came up short amid their best shot at a title, considering the cap problem they are faced with this offseason -- Cleveland can't stay above the second apron for much longer, and a roster scale-back this summer is much-needed.
Also, if Mitchell were to wait to sign an extension until next offseason, he'd be eligible for a five-year, $352 million deal. There's always an injury risk at play with foregoing an extension staring you in the face for a much bigger one a year later, but this is still in play for Mitchell and his camp.
Donovan Mitchell might not want an extension (and neither should Cavs)
There's the Cleveland side of things to consider. Is the Cavs' front office ultimately the party that won't be interested in extending Mitchell? ESPN's Bobby Marks sent a warning to Cleveland this week in that regard.
"Be careful," Marks advised the Cavs. "I'm not saying Donovan Mitchell isn't worthy of an extension. He is. [But] be careful when you're paying players $75 million at 34 years old. Just be careful."
Marks hit the nail on the head, especially as it concerns Mitchell. This is because Mitchell's game relies heavily on athleticism. We saw this during the Knicks series (and to an extent, all playoffs long) as Mitchell struggled to produce at his normal megastar rate because he wasn't 100% healthy (no ailment has been disclosed, but it was obvious). When Mitchell's body isn't operating at full capacity, he struggles more significantly than bigger guards and wings who have other ways of getting their shot off beyond pure athletic might.
Donovan Mitchell's game probably isn't going to age well
This reality for Mitchell and his game doesn't bode well for his late-career production. As his athleticism wanes into his mid-thirties, are we sure Mitchell is going to be a max player-type scorer still? One worth $75 million per season. This is the question that Marks was raising, and it should ultimately turn the Cavs off to staying in the Donovan Mitchell business on a max extension basis. It might be the perfect time to move on from Mitchell via trade this offseason.
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