Donovan Mitchell, a five-time All-Star guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers, has been linked to the Los Angeles Lakers.
As early as this summer, Mitchell might be the next big name to become available, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.
“According to rumors circulating in the NBA, if Mitchell doesn’t make it to the Finals, he’ll turn down an extension and look elsewhere. The Cavaliers will probably trade him before he can sign a free agent contract,” Pincus wrote on April 5.
More gasoline was added to the fire by Mitchell’s response to Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert’s optimism that his star player will sign an extension this summer.
Mitchell told reporters on March 30 that “I got a lot of things to focus on outside of that right now.” “Okay, I’ll take care of that when it arises.”
The Cavaliers player “is all but certain to decline his $37.1 million player option for the 2025–26 season in order to investigate unrestricted free agency next July,” according to Pincus.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin revealed in January that the Lakers had talks about acquiring Mitchell should he become available.
Team sources told ESPN on January 23 that the Lakers have internally discussed packaging three picks and players already on their roster to pursue a true star, like Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers or Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks.
The Lakers’ decision to hold out until the trade deadline was mostly motivated by the fact that they will have three first-round picks available following the NBA Draft in June.
Following the trade deadline on February 8, Lakers general manager and vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka told reporters via Lakers Nation, “We didn’t want to shoot a small bullet now that would only lead to very marginal improvement at the expense of making a much bigger and more impactful movement potentially in June and July.”If D’Angelo Russell exercises his $18.7 million player option, the Lakers can afford to pay Mitchell’s payroll in terms of departing players through Rui Hachimura and Russell. In addition to lower-paid players like Jalen Hood-Schifino, Maxwell Lewis, Christian Wood, Jaxson Hayes, and Cam Reddish, other combinations may include guys like Austin Reaves, Gabe Vincent, and Jarred Vanderbilt. The final three would have to select their individual player possibilities in order to be dealt. Pincus composed
According to Pincus, the Brooklyn Nets’ totally unprotected first-round picks in 2024 and 2026, Jalen Green, the Houston Rockets’ first-round picks from 202 through 2031, and the Nets’ right to exchange rights in 2025 and 2027 may all be included in a deal.
With their own first-round picks until 2031 and future first-round selections from the Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons (heavily protected), Washington Wizards (protected), and Milwaukee Bucks (lightly protected), Mitchell’s hometown team, the New York Knicks, are well-stocked with draft capital.
The Brooklyn Nets, who anticipate having two first-round picks in 2025, two in 2027, three in 2029, and one each in 2028 (TBD by protections), 2030, and 2031, are reportedly another major contender for Mitchell.
The Lakers may not have the draft cash to match them, but they do have LeBron James, Mitchell’s childhood idol, Anthony Davis, a dynamic superstar big man, and the appeal of donning purple and gold to entice Mitchell to pursue a career in film.
Be the first to comment