Windy: Lakers, Nets among ‘number of teams’ with offers ready for Donovan Mitchell
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SpidaSaga? MitchellMania? Buckle up. Can ‘Spida’ swoop in and save the Nets?
It’s been no secret that Sean Marks and the Brooklyn Nets may go big-game hunting during the 2024 offseason if the opportunity arises. One particular name continues to appear in the Brooklyn rumor mill: Donovan Mitchell. The reports have been persistent that the 27-year-old New York native will forego his player option with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the 2025-26 season, forcing Cavs GM Koby Altman to either get something for him this summer or be faced with losing him for nothing.
The Athletic laid out the specifics Wednesday.
Mitchell is under contract for next season and has a $37 million player option for 2025-26, but he is eligible for that four-year extension this summer. Should he decline the extension, the Cavs would have to consider trading him or risk losing him as a free agent in 2025.
If Mitchell is a free agent in 2025, he is eligible to sign for a max of five years and $269.9 million with the team that holds his Bird rights (the Cavs now) or four years, $200.1 million with a new team.
In that same report, Shams Charania wrote that there’s “growing sentiment around the league that Donovan Mitchell will sign a lucrative extension with the Cavs” this summer.
Then Thursday, Adrian Wojnarowski spoke with Mitchell who denied a key part of the narrative surrounding his future, that he’s unhappy in Cleveland.
“I reached out to Donovan Mitchell today,” Wojnarowski said. “And he was emphatic in telling me that he is not disgruntled with anyone or anything in Cleveland. In fact, he said to me, ‘I am happy in Cleveland. I’ve been happy since I arrived in Cleveland.’”
Then, Mitchell himself checked in…
Yeah aight I’m sick of yall sometimes! https://t.co/B7zdP8APDk— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) May 16, 2024
Yet after a disappointing playoff run, trade whispers are only getting louder about Mitchell’s long term prospects. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, who has been all over the Spida Saga (trademark pending!), reported Wednesday on “Get Up” that the Lakers and Nets are among a number of teams with offers ready for the Cavaliers. First, they have to accept the fate.
“The question is, for an organization and ownership who have lost players like LeBron, if Donovan simply just says ‘I love it here!’ and I’m not going to extend. What do they do? Do they roll the dice with this team again or do they say, ‘No way we gotta take action’ and that is a huge potential question coming for June and July.”
“There are a number of teams that have their offers ready.”
Chiney Ogwumike and Mike Greenberg followed up by asking if the Lakers and Knicks are two of those team.
“Of course, absolutely. I don’t think — the Knicks are trying to win this Eastern Conference series, but certainly across the river there in Brooklyn.”
.@WindhorstESPN says "a number of teams have their offers ready" for Donovan Mitchell Could you see him leaving the Cavs? pic.twitter.com/ZvPsTNOgwT— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) May 15, 2024
Windhorst has been calling the Nets a potential destination for the New York kid since December. And for whatever it’s worth, this comes moments before the Cavs deemed Mitchell (calf) out of a pivotal Game 5 against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Nets have excess draft picks — 10 firsts including seven that can be traded this summer. Moreover, the Nets haul is considered one of the best in part because only one of the future firsts they accumulated in their superstar trades is protected. Mitchell is also close with Mikal Bridges. Not to mention his father, Donovan Mitchell Sr., is the New York Mets director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. He also owns a home in the area. The home roots are there.
What would get it done?
“It’s gotta be a trade that puts you in the same spot or gets them a chance to get them back in the same spot because they’ve mortgaged their future. It’s kinda like the Nets a little bit.” Windy said in December 2023.
Yossi Gozlan the former Hoopshype capologist now with capsheets.com told NetsDaily Friday that he can see a scenario in which the Nets could acquire Mitchell using a package heavy on draft picks and veteran players.
“They could do Ben Simmons straight up, or they could do Dennis Schroder and Dorian Finney-Smith to satisfy salary matching,” said Gozlan who noted that the Nets wealth of picks could protect Cam Thomas.“I’m not really factoring in Cam Thomas or his value because the Nets have enough picks alone to make a satisfactory offer.”
Of course, the Cavaliers might want Thomas, having reportedly inquired about him before his breakout season in 2023-24.
Lakers, Nets have trade ‘offers ready’ for Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell with intriguing offseason ahead - Erich Richter - New York Post
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