Donovan Mitchell has made his commitment to Cleveland official. The seven-time All-Star signed a four-year, $273 million contract extension with the Cavaliers, the franchise announced on Thursday, July 9. Mitchell had agreed to terms two days earlier, on the first day the Cavs were permitted to make the offer.
The 29-year-old guard had two seasons remaining on his existing deal and could have waited until next summer to sign a five-year supermax worth $350 million. Instead, he chose to lock in long-term with the franchise he led to its first Eastern Conference finals appearance since 2018.
"From day one, he embraced this organization, our fans, and our community," Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman said in a statement. "Securing Donovan long term reflects our shared vision and our commitment to building toward another NBA championship in Cleveland."
The extension includes a $76 million player option for the 2030-31 season and a full trade kicker. The average annual value of $68 million is an NBA record, barely surpassing the $67.9 million mark set by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's deal with Oklahoma City. In total value, it ranks as the fourth-largest contract in NBA history behind Jayson Tatum's $314 million extension in Boston, the $285 million deal Jaylen Brown signed before being traded to Philadelphia, and Nikola Jokic's $276 million contract with Denver.
Mitchell averaged 27.9 points, 5.7 assists and 4.5 rebounds during the regular season, then delivered 26 points per game in the playoffs as Cleveland reached the conference finals for the first time since LeBron James' departure. In four seasons with the Cavaliers since being traded from the Utah Jazz in 2022, Mitchell has averaged 26.7 points.
The extension kicks off a pivotal offseason in Cleveland. The franchise awaits LeBron James' decision on a potential return to his hometown team, while James Harden — acquired at the trade deadline — is weighing a new deal after declining his player option for 2026-27.
Sources
- https://apnews.com/article/cavaliers-mitchell-lebron-offseason-7b833767ae03a0e1b2a64f23b1a13787
- https://apnews.com/article/cavaliers-mitchell-16373ebd0ce5ec602e6217470570d3a1
