NBA Trade Rumors: Cleveland Cavaliers have enquired about 3x All-Star in recent days
The Cleveland Cavaliers are one of the youngest teams in the league and have young prospects that can become stars in the coming years. With so many assets, the Cavaliers have emerged as contenders for Donovan Mitchell.
According to Ian Begley of "SNY.tv," the Cleveland Cavaliers have approached the Utah Jazz in recent days to inquire about the three-time All-Star.
According to SNY sources, Begley said Cleveland has touched base with Utah in recent days to ask about Donovan Mitchell. Cleveland's interest level remains unknown, but the Cavaliers have the young players and draft picks to put together a competitive package.
The New York Knicks and the Miami Heat have been routinely linked with moves for Mitchell. According to several reports, the Knicks are close to getting their man. However, with the Cleveland Cavaliers now in the picture, it remains to be seen where Donovan Mitchell ends up this summer if he does indeed get traded from the Jazz.
Utah Jazz CEO Danny Ainge won't be hesitant in trading Mitchell as the franchise has gone into a rebuild, especially after the Rudy Gobert trade. After the huge amount of draft capital the Jazz received for Gobert, they are expecting more or less the same for Mitchell, too.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have touched base with the Utah Jazz about a Donovan Mitchell trade in recent days, per @IanBegley https://t.co/Bsq1Gasqpy
Can the Cleveland Cavaliers get Donovan Mitchell?
The Cleveland Cavaliers are the latest team to join the hunt for Donovan Mitchell. The franchise might need to replace guard Collin Sexton, who is yet to agree to a new contract. This is where Mitchell comes into play.
Donovan Mitchell finished last season with averages of 25.9 points, 5.3 assists and 4.2 rebounds. He shot 44.8% from the field and 35.5% from beyond the arc. His performances in the postseason have been even more remarkable, especially during the 2020 NBA Playoffs. He averaged 36.3 points, 5 rebounds and 4.9 assists in seven games against the Denver Nuggets. Mitchell had two 50-point games in the first-round series.
If Donovan Mitchell is indeed traded to the Cavaliers, he will form a formidable backcourt alongside Darius Garland. Garland was selected as an All-Star in 2021-22 and has the potential to be an MVP-caliber player in the future.
Players with more 50-point playoff games than Donovan Mitchell:
Michael Jordan
Wilt Chamberlain
Allen Iverson
That’s it. https://t.co/1dVJmUCtW6
The Cleveland Cavaliers could facilitate a trade for Mitchell by sending Kevin Love and multiple draft picks to the Utah Jazz. Danny Ainge wants as much draft capital as possible as they are heading into a rebuild and shouldn't mind taking on Love, who is on an expiring contract.
It was reported that the Knicks were willing to give up four or five first-rounders for Mitchell, and the Cleveland Cavaliers will have to do something similar if not more. However, that shouldn't be a problem as Cleveland has all of their first-round picks from 2024.
Either way, with the Cavaliers now in the fray, the sweepstakes for Donovan Mitchell just got a whole lot more interesting.