Donovan Mitchell continues to fuel speculation by refusing to commit to Cavaliers
Donovan Mitchell's long-term future with the Cleveland Cavaliers remains a discussion point. The All-Star guard has two years left on his current five-year $163M deal. However, the final year of that contract is a player option which he is expected to opt out of. As such, he will likely enter his deal's final year next season.
In a recent interview with the Associated Press, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert said he was confident Mitchell would remain with the franchise.
“We’ve been talking to him, sure, for the last couple of years about extending this contract,” Gilbert said. “We think he will extend. I think if you listen to him talk, he loves the city … He loves the situation in Cleveland because our players are very young and we’re just kind of putting the core together that he’s clearly the biggest part of.”
However, Mitchell was far less committal when asked about Gilbert's comments during a post-game news conference following the Cavaliers 117-114 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
“I got a lot of things to focus on outside of that right now,” Mitchell said. “I’ve got to focus on myself, getting back for this group, focus on us getting over this stretch, continuing to be ready when it comes time … So, I’ll handle that when it comes, and I understand you gotta ask that question and I’m gonna give you the same answer.”
Mitchell's future will significantly impact the Cavaliers. With him in the rotation, Cleveland is steadily building toward being a contender. Should he leave the franchise, they will need to navigate a soft rebuild as they look to balance their scoring and playmaking.
Furthermore, the front office will likely struggle to recruit other stars during the offseason. They will want assurances that the team's best player stays around long-term. Until they can give those assurances, Mitchell's non-committal stance will hinder the team's ability to build in free agency.
Sooner or later, Mitchell will have to make a decision. The longer he takes, the more of a negative impact it will have on the Cavaliers.
Nevertheless, with a potential two years still on his contract, Mitchell will be in no rush to make a decision one way or the other.
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