Donovan Mitchell recently wrapped up another standout season. The guard has been an NBA All-Star the past five seasons, but he entered the offseason surrounded by uncertainty.
But anxiety about Mitchell’s future in Cleveland was put to bed Tuesday, when the 27-year-old agreed to a five-year, $150.3 million deal with the Cavaliers, ESPN reported.
According to NBA rules, deals cannot be officially announced until Saturday.
Cleveland acquired Mitchell in a blockbuster trade shortly before the 2022-23 season. The team viewed him as perhaps the final piece to contend for an NBA championship with young stars Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
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Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) directs the offense during the second half of a game against the Los Angeles Lakers Nov. 6, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
While the Cavs made the playoffs in both seasons with Mitchell, the team made an abrupt postseason exit in May.
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Shortly after the Cavs’ playoff run ended, a report from Cleveland.com suggested Mitchell “grew frustrated with some teammates’ lack of maturity, focus, playoff-level readiness and a willingness to listen.” The report surfaced amid rumors Mitchell may have played his final game in a Cavaliers uniform.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) goes to the basket past New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) in the first half of Game 4 in an NBA first-round playoff series April 23, 2023, at Madison Square Garden in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
The extension includes a $54 million player option for the 2027-28 season, a source with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press. Mitchell was under contract for one more season. Technically, Mitchell’s new deal means he can become a free agent in three years, raising the Cavs’ urgency to compete for a title.
Shortly after word of Mitchell’s extension emerged, he posted a video on social media from the film “The Wolf of Wall Street” in which actor Leonardo DiCaprio profanely announces to his colleagues, “I’m not leaving.”
The Cleveland Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell (45) celebrates after making a 3-point shot against the Orlando Magic late in the second half of a game April 4, 2023, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
The Cavs parted ways with head coach J.B. Bickerstaff in May. He agreed to a five-year deal with the Detroit Pistons over the weekend, ESPN reported.
Cleveland hired Kenny Atkinson as Bickerstaff’s replacement. Cavs president of basketball operations Koby Altman held an introductory press conference with Atkinson Monday.
Atkinson said he recently had the opportunity to speak with Mitchell.
“We feel good about Donovan,” Altman said Monday. “He’s in a great space mentally. He’s healthy. Really enjoyed the fact that him and Kenny could sit down and talk about the future, talk about the team.
“He’s invested. He’s really invested in what we’re doing. Hopefully, soon we’ll have more of a decisive answer on that for you, but he’s been great. He’s been super involved and super collaborative and very, very much pro-Cleveland.”
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Mitchell averaged 26.6 points, 6.1 assists and 5.1 rebounds last season, but he was limited to just 55 games because of a left knee injury. Mitchell was slowed by the injury in the playoffs and pushed through before sitting out Cleveland’s final two games in the Eastern Conference semifinals with a calf injury.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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