INDEPENDENCE — The Cavaliers enter this offseason with a mountain of questions as to what is the best way to move forward as a franchise. But they say they’re happy with that mountain’s North star.
Among the many conversations and narratives surrounding the Cavs following a breakthrough trip to the Conference Finals, albeit one that ended in a painful sweep, is the question as to whether Donovan Mitchell is in the group of elite No. 1 options leading teams through the playoffs.
That inquiry, already one of the most important for any contending team, has an extra layer of urgency this summer considering Mitchell is eligible to sign a four-year, $272 million extension. It leads the Cavs into needing to decide Mitchell’s place in their long-term future, as well the immediate goals of making it to, and winning, the NBA Finals.
Speaking with media May 29 at the team’s practice facility, Cavs president of basketball operations Koby Altman embraced Mitchell as the leader of the franchise, both now and in the future, both on and off the court. It’s an investment on which the team is doubling down.
“Well, I would say that Donovan is uniquely ours, and he’s our guy,” Altman said when asked why he’d put Mitchell in that elite group. “And when you’re constantly an All-NBA talent that is a great leader, that has incredible work ethic, that adds to the culture, that adds to the mystique of our program, you embrace that.”
Donovan Mitchell contract a major question for Cavaliers
Mitchell is an All-Star-caliber player who’s among the best pure scorers in the league, though compared to many other stars, he’s among the smallest top-tier options in the NBA. The Cavs must decide whether they want to re-invest in him as the team’s star, which comes with a hefty financial allocation.
Whether they come to an agreement on that extension is one thing (Mitchell would also be eligible to sign an extension next summer, when he’d be entering a player option year and the final year of his current deal). But the Cavs’ faith in building around him remains.
“Donovan is uniquely ours and we’re very, very fortunate to have an All-Star, superstar-caliber player that’s here in Cleveland, that loves it here,” Altman said. “So let’s lean into him, with his faults. They all have faults. They all have warts. If I went and got another player and brought him here, we’d be pointing and poking and prodding because we’ve seen so much, we’re in the weeds so much.
“And do we think we can win with him as the best player on a championship team? Yes, and we’re going to keep pouring into that.”
What did Koby Altman say about Donovan Mitchell?
Mitchell is set to turn 30 years old on Sept 7. Exactly two months prior, on July 7, the Cavs can offer him that four-year, $272 million extension. If they do, he’d be making $75 million during the 2030-31, when he’s 34 years old. Securing a player of Mitchell’s caliber is a rare opportunity, and the league is driven by stars. There’s also inherent risk that comes with that sizable of a financial commitment within the NBA’s salary cap structure.
“He’s still playing the best basketball of his career, and look, Donovan is our guy,” Altman said. “He loves it here. I think he’s professed how much he loves it here emphatically. … He’s elevated everything about this franchise and this organization.”
Donovan Mitchell playoff record with Cavaliers
The blockbuster trade that sent Mitchell from the Utah Jazz to the Cavaliers in September of 2022 was Cleveland’s official ascension into a contender in the East. Since that time, the Cavs have made four trips to the playoffs, including two exits in the second round and trip to the Conference Finals, the franchise’s first without LeBron James on the roster since 1992.
In three of those four seasons, he’s been named at least Second Team All-NBA and finished top-seven in MVP voting. As Altman indicated several times, the Cavs are holding onto him tightly. And the team believes it’s mutual.
“All I can tell you is Donovan has been steadfast in how much he loves it here,” Altman said. “So I think that’s the biggest thing, right? That’s the best thing, right? When we have a superstar of his caliber that wants to be in Cleveland, that’s our ambassador, that’s our best recruiter — there’s guys that are here that wouldn’t be here without him, quite frankly.”
Ryan Lewis covers the Cavaliers for the Akron Beacon Journal. He can be reached at rlewis1@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cavs believe star guard Donovan Mitchell is right No. 1 to lead team
Reporting by Ryan Lewis, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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