Donovan Mitchell signs massive $273M Cavaliers extension as LeBron James return speculation grows

Donovan Mitchell got rather the payday from the Cleveland Cavaliers connected Tuesday, arsenic helium agreed to a four-year, $273 cardinal maximum extension, which includes a afloat commercialized kicker and subordinate enactment for the 2030-31 season.

While Mitchell could’ve waited 1 much twelvemonth to get a imaginable five-year, $353 cardinal deal, the 29-year-old wasted nary clip signing an hold connected the archetypal time helium was eligible to bash truthful this summer.

It’s hard for Cleveland not to privation to physique their squad astir Mitchell present and for the foreseeable future. He has been an All-Star 7 consecutive seasons, which includes 3 with the Utah Jazz anterior to his commercialized to Cleveland during the 2022 offseason.

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Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks to walk the shot during the crippled against the Memphis Grizzlies connected February 2, 2023 astatine Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse successful Cleveland, Ohio. (David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images)

He has averaged 26.7 points crossed 4 seasons with the Cavaliers, including 27.9 this past season, and has made an All-NBA squad successful 3 of his 4 years.

Mitchell besides noted having "unfinished business" aft the squad got swept by the aboriginal NBA-champion New York Knicks successful the Eastern Conference Finals.

Mitchell was heading into the 2026-27 play connected the past guaranteed play of his erstwhile declaration earlier a 2027 subordinate enactment kicked in.

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Now, the bigger question for the Cavaliers: Does Mitchell’s declaration hold hurt, oregon help, their chances of yet different reunion with LeBron James?

The 41-year-old has made it wide helium volition beryllium playing elsewhere for the 2026-27 NBA season, marking the extremity of his 8 years with the Los Angeles Lakers.

James, the NBA’s all-time starring scorer, hasn’t indicated wherever helium mightiness beryllium heading, but reports person indicated his agent, Rich Paul, is actively looking astatine circumstantial teams.

LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts to a foul telephone during the 2nd fractional of the crippled against Dallas Mavericks astatine Crypto.com Arena connected January 12, 2023 successful Los Angeles, California. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Among them is the Cavaliers, arsenic the antheral from Akron, Ohio has played a important relation successful the franchise’s history, including an NBA rubric successful 2016. If this is James' last NBA run, wherefore not bash it wherever it each began, wherever helium returned aft his palmy stint with the Miami Heat, and wherever helium tin adjacent the publication connected a one-of-a-kind career?

However, different teams, including the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors person been rumored and debated about.

But, of course, wage headdress is simply a large woody for NBA teams, and staying wrong the parameters. While a Cavaliers instrumentality could presumption Mitchell’s max hold arsenic a atrocious happening for James to onshore backmost successful Cleveland, it is not believed to impact their chances astatine signing him.

And for James’ NBA rubric chances, the Cavaliers did scope the Eastern Conference Finals, and the 41-year-old wouldn’t person to beryllium the halfway of attraction successful presumption of violative playmaking. Mitchell and Evan Mobley tin pb the mode there, portion Jarrett Allen protects the rim down low.

The Cavaliers and James Harden, whom they acquired earlier the commercialized deadline past season, are reportedly negotiating a team-friendly woody arsenic good to support their wage headdress astatine bay.

Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts during the 4th fourth against the Detroit Pistons successful Game Seven of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs astatine Little Caesars Arena connected May 17, 2026 successful Detroit, Michigan. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

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Whether the large food volition beryllium landed, bringing "The Chosen One" backmost to his roots 1 past time, remains to beryllium seen.

Mitchell has near nary doubt, though, wherever his aboriginal lies successful the NBA, arsenic helium volition look to get that unfinished concern squared distant successful Cleveland.

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