Donovan Mitchell has to step up with Darius Garland and Evan Mobley both out of the Cleveland Cavaliers lineup. On Saturday, Mitchell did so with 22 points and a career-high 13 assists in a win over the Atlanta Hawks. The veteran guard said that helping his team through this rough patch is his focus, not his future in the NBA.
“My job is to focus on this,” Mitchell said, cutting off a question about his future. “We have two guys that are out, so I’m not answering anything. And no disrespect. I appreciate that you have to ask the question, but I’m not going there with any of those questions. My focus is on these guys being out, us trying to find a way to get wins.”
Mitchell has this season, plus two more seasons on the five-year contract he originally signed with the Utah Jazz. However, Mitchell has a player option for the 2025-26 season. That’s led to speculation that his time in Cleveland could be short.
This summer, Mitchell is extension-eligible and will be eligible for a super max extension if he makes All-NBA this season. If not, Mitchell could opt out after next season and become one of the top unrestricted free agents in the summer of 2025.