Buy or Sell: Donovan Mitchell Is Happy With Cavaliers' Direction

Donovan Mitchell apparently wants to sign an extension to remain with the Cavaliers, but does that mean he is perfectly content?

May 9, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) exits the court after defeating the Boston Celtics during game two of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

All indications are that Donovan Mitchell will be signing a contract extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers sometime soon.

Whether he signs for four years or three years is anyone's guess (there has been chatter that he could go for the latter), but what really matters is that Mitchell is apparently intent on remaining with the Cavaliers for at least the next couple of seasons.

For now.

In today's NBA, stars change teams like clothes (which I guess in this case would be pretty literal, wouldn't it?). One day, an elite player is content with his franchise. The next, he wants to be dealt.

This has become a common occurrence in the modern landscape, which is why we really have to take most of this stuff with a grain of salt.

But evidently, Mitchell is happy enough with Cleveland's direction to want to sign an extension with the ballclub.

On paper, the Cavs look pretty good. Along with Mitchell, they have Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, all of whom comprise an impressive, young quartet of players that many others teams around the league would do anything to possess.

The Cavaliers have also made the playoffs each of the last two years, winning 51 games last season and going 48-34 during the 2023-24 campaign. Cleveland lost in the first round last spring but was able to win a playoff series this time around before being bounced by the Boston Celtics.

There is no shame in losing to the team that would go on to win the championship, but there are serious questions as to whether or not the Cavs are even a top-four team in the Eastern Conference, especially with the New York Knicks adding Mikal Bridges earlier this week.

Yes, the Cavaliers finished with the No. 4 seed in the East this year, but they only finished one game ahead of the Orlando Magic, who they beat in a tight seven-game first-round series. The Knicks are almost surely a better team right now, and the Milwaukee Bucks—when healthy—are probably superior, as well.

That leaves Cleveland fighting with squads like the upstart Indiana Pacers, the Magic and possibly the Philadelphia 76ers depending on what the 76ers do with all of their cap space this summer.

Is that what Mitchell really wants? Certainly not. He isn't trying to be better than the Pacers and the Magic. He wants to win a championship, and at this very moment, the Cavs are not legitimate title contenders. Not in a conference that includes a Celtics squad that just won 64 games.

That isn't to say that the Cavaliers haven't made a lot of progress, because they have. After all, just a few years ago, they couldn't even crack 20 wins.

Mitchell surely sees that, and he likes Cleveland's advancement enough to give the Cavs a shot. But at what point will he begin to lose patience?

He spent five seasons with the Utah Jazz, and while they won 50 games multiple times with Mitchell on the roster, they never made it past the second round of the playoffs. To his credit, he never whined in Utah, and the Jazz moved on from him (and Rudy Gobert) rather than the other way around.

But you have to wonder how much longer Mitchell will accept mediocrity.

The Cavaliers are building something. There is no doubt about that. But unlike a couple of decades ago when players would stick around for at least 10 years before deciding, "Alright, that's it," things move much more quickly in the NBA in 2024.

Cleveland does not have five more years to be patient. It needs to start showing significant progress now, or else it is going to risk losing Mitchell altogether.

Mitchell may be seeking a three-year extension instead of four in order to capitalize from a financial perspective. If he gets a player option after Year 2 of the contract (which would almost certainly be part of the deal), he would have 10 years of service time, in which case he could then seek another max deal worth 35 percent of the cap rather than 30 percent.

However, Mitchell may not just be aiming for as much financial security as possible if he takes a shorter deal. He could also be pursuing a quicker exit route in case things go awry.

Mitchell is happy enough to want to stay with the Cavs for the not-too-distant future. Anything beyond that is anybody's guess, and only Mitchell knows for sure what he is thinking.

So do I buy that Mitchell is happy with the Cavaliers' direction?

Yes...sort of.

For now.