Miami Heat's Silent Offseason Continues With Donovan Mitchell Contract Extension

Anthony Pasciolla | Jul 2, 2024

May 11, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) stands on the court in the second quarter of game three of the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Boston Celtics at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports / David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Heat's summer of disappointment is progressing further because the Cleveland Cavaliers are signing Donovan Mitchell to a maximum contract extension.

Mitchell has agreed to a three-year, $150.3 million deal that includes a player option for the 2027-2028 season, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The Cavs now join the extensive list of Eastern Conference teams to put themselves in championship contention for next season. The Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and Philadelphia 76ers made much-needed moves, leaving the Heat well behind.

Mitchell was the top-rumored target for the Heat, largely due to his connection with big man Bam Adebayo. The All-Stars are close friends, with Adebayo even publicly recruiting the Cavs guard through a comical social media post. Not only was Mitchell a speculated target, but a desirable one at that. His combination of balanced offense and excelling in the postseason would have been a flawless fit in the Heat's system.

Heat fans, while frustrated, are not ready to give up all hope, transitioning their attention to Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young. The Hawks parted ways with Young's backcourt partner Dejounte Murray for a rather small package, meaning Miami's front office could likely afford their asking price. Their deal would center around guard Tyler Herro and draft capital, along with a few minor assets.

With Herro seemingly liking some harsh posts directed towards the Heat on Monday, it's not out of the equation to make a respectable push for Young.

Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer to Inside the Heat. He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or follow him on X @AnthonyPasci.

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