It Doesn’t Make Sense For Donovan Mitchell To Sign An Extension Right Now

Donovan Mitchell is extension eligible with the Cleveland Cavaliers with two years left on his contract. He, however, isn’t going to sign an extension right now. And that makes sense.

Recently on ESPN, NBA insider Brian Windhorst said that doesn’t expect Mitchell to sign an extension with Cleveland this summer and that it “doesn’t raise any alarms”. Mitchell is one of several star players, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard and Klay Thompson, eligible to sign an extension this summer.

It isn’t new information that Mitchell won’t be signing an extension this summer. It has been reported since July (by Windhorst and others) that Mitchell wasn’t going to sign a new deal with the Cavs. He has three years left on his deal, with the last year being a player option worth $37 million for the 2025-26 season.

Financially, it doesn’t make sense for Mitchell to sign anything now. (Barring injury that changes his entire career, there’s also a 0% chance he picks up his player option.) He’s not supermax eligible after being traded by the Jazz, so there’s not any potential upside were he could earn more money by making an All-NBA team this year. But it makes sense to wait and see exactly where the salary cap is going before signing anything. Plus, by waiting, Mitchell can sign a longer deal for more guaranteed money.

The Cavs also shouldn’t be worried about Mitchell not signing an extension this summer. The partnership between the team and player is just a year old. By all accounts, he enjoyed his first year with the Cavs, embraced being in the city and played the best basketball of his career. Aside from the playoff exist, they’ve made a strong case to themselves as where Mitchell should play long-term.

Was there some New York flirting? Sure. Mitchell is an well-known vocal Mets fan. And it’s not a secret that he may have preferred and expected to be with the Knicks instead of the Cavs. But that didn’t keep him from being the best version of himself on the court.

A year from now, this could be a different conversation. Maybe the Cavs — who flamed out in the playoffs last year — don’t make a deeper run into the playoffs. Maybe that proves to be not enough for Mitchell, who spoke frequently about last season about wanting to contend for titles. Maybe then, if he’s still unwilling to engage on an extension, Cleveland has to begin thinking about options other than holding into Mitchell. The Cavs aren’t in a market like Los Angeles or Miami or New York where they can let star players walk for nothing and confidently bet on everything working out. They also owe it to Darius Garland and Evan Mobley to pivot, if necessary, and maximize their futures.

These, though, are all scenarios that are a year or so away from playing out. Mitchell will surely be asked about his future at Cavs Media Day next week. Perhaps he’ll be as candid as Giannis has been or play it more close to the vest. Either way, where Mitchell is now, with two full years and a player option left on his contract, it doesn’t make sense to sign a new deal now. With more time will come clarity for both player and the team.