Lakers expected to be a leading candidate to acquire five-time All-Star

Donovan Mitchell could leave the Cleveland Cavaliers during the summer. The All-Star guard will be entering the final year of his contract. 

He has continually opted against verbally committing his future to the franchise. If the Cavaliers cannot agree on a contract extension with their star player, they will likely look to trade him rather than lose him for nothing in the 2025 offseason. 

According to Jason Lloyd of The Athletic, the Los Angeles Lakers are seen as front-runners for Mitchell's services should he be made available via trade. 

“If Mitchell doesn’t sign an extension with Cleveland this summer, the Cavs will have to explore trade options — and one of the teams standing at the front of the line will be the Lakers," Lloyd reported. "It’s possible, given Mitchell’s current condition with his calf, that he has already played his final game in a Cavs jersey.”

GM Rob Pelinka has never shied away from chasing star talent. Mitchell would help provide elite ball-handling and scoring from the guard position. He could potentially enter the Lakers rotation as the primary offense, allowing both LeBron James and Anthony Davis to play secondary and tertiary roles, respectively. 

Davis has struggled to lead the Lakers offense for the duration of a full season, while Mitchell thrives in a high-usage role. He is currently part of the Cavaliers' Eastern Conference semifinal run against the Boston Celtics. 

Throughout the current postseason, he is averaging 29.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.7 assists while shooting 47.6 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from three-point range. 

If the Lakers do wish to acquire Mitchell, they will need to part with some of their younger talents and trade assets. Jarred Vanderbilt or Rui Hachimura could be part of the deal, along with one or two of their future first-round picks. As such, the Lakers would likely seek assurances from Mitchell that he would re-sign with the franchise. 

Currently, any talk of a potential trade for Mitchell is nothing short of conjecture. However, if his tenure with the Cavaliers begins to trend toward a trade, the Lakers would be a logical landing spot. They need someone with his scoring and playmaking ability. More importantly, they need a star to help bridge the gap when James eventually retires. Mitchell can be that guy.