Cavs Mailbag: Would Donovan Mitchell-Zach LaVine Trade Make Sense?

Spencer Davies answers Cleveland Cavaliers fans' questions before the team's NBA In-Season Tournament game vs. the Atlanta Hawks.

Welcome to Cavs Mailbag! In this daily mailbag, Spencer Davies will respond to fans’ curiosities surrounding the Cleveland Cavaliers throughout the duration of the 2023-24 season. In order to submit yours, simply send your questions on X to @SpinDavies or via email at spindavies22@gmail.com.

Tuesday night, the Cavs will look to finish their NBA In-Season Tournament group-play stage strong against the Atlanta Hawks. The only way they can secure a wild card spot in the tourney is with a little help, but taking care of what's in front of them is imperative to even have a chance at it.

Let's get to the question of the day:

Donovan Mitchell is a future Hall-of-Famer and probably the second-best player to ever wear a Cavs jersey, but after watching the last stretch without him and the offense getting stagnant with him back — plus the rumblings of him leaving in free agency — would you trade him for someone like Zach LaVine? - @Greg_Boose

Somebody's been paying attention to the mess that is the Chicago Bulls. I don't know who's going to stay and who's going to go there, to be honest. Between the coaching staff, the roster and even the front office, it wouldn't be surprising to see that organization branch in a different direction with the awful start it has had.

Here's the thing with Donovan Mitchell: He's still got the rest of this season and another year on top of it before having his player option in 2025-26. The opportunity to sign a contract extension with the Cavs is available next fall as well. While the chances are probably slim, a lot of that choice hinges on what the team shows this season with a revamped roster looking to get further into the playoffs.

If Mitchell was making a fuss and acting out in the locker room, you'd consider moving on. He's not though. He's been a terrific leader and mentor, committed to the job that is in front of him in the present. Anything said otherwise is false. 

We're a month into the season. Not even one-fourth of it is complete.

What's more: Mitchell isn't 100 percent health-wise yet. He's cramping at the end of games with that hamstring. His jump shot isn't to his standard. However, he's still getting into driving lanes and making plays, putting forth a solid defensive effort and scrapping for loose balls. 

Now that Max Strus and Georges Niang are finding their groove within Cleveland's offense, and Darius Garland is in downhill attack mode, Mitchell will have plenty of chances to get going on three levels. There were a few different instances where we saw that on Sunday. He had a drive and kick to Strus in the corner, and he had a nice direct cut from the wing with Garland penetrating where he got an easy two. There's a balancing act with all of this.

Once Mitchell finds his mark again — he will — it will be on everybody to share the wealth, including him. Garland can't defer, nor can Evan Mobley. It's a collective thing. There are going to be possessions throughout a game where you need that isolation because it can't all go perfect for 48 minutes. That's a Mitchell specialty. But when the wine-and-gold find a groove like the Toronto game, it's about finding the hot hand and forcing opponents to make decisions.

Jan 2, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) and Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8) go for a rebound during the second half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

While there's been a lot of talk about Mitchell and what he's going to do, and there's legs to that, he's all in on the Cavs becoming the best version of themselves in the present. There is no sign to the contrary just because he's in a bit of a slump shooting the basketball.

In terms of Zach LaVine to answer your question from a feasibility standpoint, it is doable. A player-for-player swap would work. He is great as an off-ball threat with his cutting ability and has shown playmaking chops as a de facto point guard and secondary-action passer. Having a long-term deal helps too with not having to worry as much about free agency.

On the negative side, remember there's an injury history there too still with LaVine. If any team doesn't want to deal with more shaky availability, it's Cleveland. (Although, LaVine has overcome it admirably over the last few campaigns.)

With all of this said, I don't think many teams are in a rush to acquire Mitchell due to his impending free agency in two years though. Plus, the Cavs have had him around for only a cup of coffee to this point. I doubt they'll mail it in this soon with the splash they made last summer to take this team from good to great.