The Cleveland Cavaliers hope to make a deep run in the playoffs this season and continue to contend with Donovan Mitchell at the helm. If they fall short yet again, however, it could make a Donovan Mitchell trade inevitable. If so, there is a trade idea with the San Antonio Spurs that could make a move something other than a disaster.
Mitchell never officially chose to come to Cleveland; he was traded there, and reportedly was interested in going to the New York Knicks instead. To his credit, he has been all-in as an Ohio native since arriving and played extremely hard for the Cavs. What has not come, however, has been the on-court success.
To be more specific, the postseason success. Even when Cleveland won 64 games a season ago, they failed to advance out of the second round. This year has been wildly inconsistent, with the Cavaliers falling short of the top of the conference; if they fall short in the playoffs again, it will be a serious indictment of their failure to put a winner around Mitchell.
With Mitchell holding a player option for 2027-28, next season could be the final one before he becomes a free agent. As such, the Cavaliers will know heading out of the offseason if Mitchell has signed a contract extension or not. If not, whether Mitchell officially requests a trade or not, they may have no choice but to move him.
What team could build an enticing package for Mitchell? One that comes to mind is the San Antonio Spurs, who are replete with talented young players and extra draft picks. Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report recently suggested a trade that would be built around Spurs rookie point guard Dylan Harper.
Spurs trade offer for Donovan Mitchell
Here is the deal proposed by Swartz: the Spurs receive Donovan Mitchell, and the Cavaliers receive a package of Dylan Harper, wing Devin Vassell, the Atlanta Hawks' 2027 first-round pick and the Spurs' unprotected 2029 first-round pick.
The Spurs would have a dynamic backcourt of De'Aaron Fox and Mitchell supported by All-Defense Stephon Castle on the wing, and of course, a future MVP in Victor Wembanyama in the middle. They would be giving up on the upside of Harper, but for a win-now option who could make First Team All-NBA for the second consecutive year.
The Cavaliers are positioned right now to try and win basketball games in the present, but this would give them a true blue-chip player to reset the timeline. Harper, Evan Mobley and Jaylon Tyson would give them a young starting point and decrease the pressure of winning in the present while they figure out the roster mix around them.
Dylan Harper is awesome
Harper has been on a contending team with an All-Star at point guard ahead of him, and that has diminished his profile compared to the likes of Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and VJ Edgecombe. Yet he has been incredible this year, and the Spurs are at their best when he shares the court with Wembanyama (outscoring opponents by 24.5 points per 100 possessions). His upside is perennial All-Star and more.
The Cavaliers hope to make a deep run in the playoffs this season, for Donovan Mitchell to sign an extension, and to bring a second championship to The Land on the backs of Mitchell and Mobley. That's Plan A.
If they fail once again, however, this is an exit ramp paved with gold. Harper is a tremendous talent and would be the crown jewel of any trade package for Mitchell. If the Spurs offer this deal, Cleveland must think long and hard about it.
And then they should say yes.