"I'd trade Donovan Mitchell": NBA Insider suggests shocking Cavaliers move amidst Knicks rumors
Last offseason, Donovan Mitchell found himself on the move. Following a five-year stint with the Utah Jazz, the All-Star guard was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Mitchell had a successful first year with his new team, but some are looking farther into the future. One insider believes that the Cavs should even entertain the idea of trading him.
During a recent episode of 'The Hoop Collective' podcast, ESPN's Tim Bontemps touched on why he feels Cleveland should be exploring Mitchell trades now:
"I don't think there's any chance he signs an extension there ever, and if it was up to me I would trade Donovan Mitchell today.
"I don't think the Cavs are getting as far as they hope to next year, I don't think he's going to extend, and I think they'll get a lot more for him with 2 summers left than they will with 1 summer left."
Mitchell, 26, is coming off a career year with the Cavaliers. In 68 games, he posted averages of 28.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.5 steals.
Should the Cleveland Cavaliers consider trading Donovan Mitchell now?
While Bontemps brings up several valid points, the Cleveland Cavaliers should arguably not be thinking about a trade right now. He was an instant fit on the roster and gives them their best chance of competing for a championship.
Looking at the Eastern Conference right now, Cleveland is right there in the mix. The Milwaukee Bucks are a year older, the Philadelphia 76ers are in disarray, the Boston Celtics have a lot of new moving parts, and the Miami Heat are a question mark for now. Lots of squads are changing around them while they are bringing back the same core.
Another reason why the Cavs should stay put is because their key players are another year older. Darius Garland continues to prove he is a high-level guard, and Evan Mobley has the potential to be among the best defenders in the NBA. With the pieces they have, it's worth it to roll the dice now and figure out the rest later.
Even if Mitchell doesn't want to extend, Cleveland will still have time to salvage. Despite being on an expiring contract, Mitchell is a high-level player that teams will pay a good price to get.
With the roster they've built, the Cavs shouldn't be considering blowing it up. Instead, they need to work on filling out the supporting cast and building a rotation that can go on a deep run.