Over the past year or so, Donovan Mitchell's impending contract extension has -- once again -- been a major talking point among Cleveland Cavaliers fans. The former Utah Jazz star guard previously signed an extension in Cleveland, but he only has one more year left in his contract before a player option for the 2027-28 season.
Just like the first time, most reports state that the lack of progress regarding an extension hints at Mitchell's desire to leave. And, just like the first time, chances are this is just smoke, and he'll wind up putting pen to paper again.
If that's not the case, the Cavaliers can't afford to have any player holding them hostage, not even their leading scorer. If they're not entirely sure that he's going to re-sign, they might as well just pull the plug and trade him.
Cavaliers can't allow Donovan Mitchell to hold all the leverage over them
Of course, a trade doesn't sound likely at this point, as the trade deadline is less than 24 hours away. More than that, trading for James Harden only proves that the front office is ready to go all-in and make a championship run as early as this season.
But what if they flame out in the playoffs again? Will Mitchell reconsider his future in The Land? What if he's not a good fit next to James Harden? Will he want to run the show on his own and pursue another challenge somewhere else? There's simply no room for doubt.
Granted, that's not to say that the Cavaliers are a better basketball team without Mitchell; that's most definitely not the case. But it's not like we're talking about someone who has raised the team's floor as a perennial championship contender; he has never gotten out of the second round of the playoffs.
That's just to say that some trains only pass once in this league. Mitchell's trade value should still be pretty high in the offseason, and if the front office doesn't get the sense that he's fully committed to the project, the least they can do is entertain the idea of trading him.
Moving on from Darius Garland has already cleared the books for the long run, and if Mitchell wants out or isn't entirely sold, next offseason might be the perfect time to just hit the reset button and start back from scratch in Cleveland.