The Cleveland Cavaliers are preparing to take on the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the NBA Playoffs on Saturday. However, this hasn’t stopped Cleveland from preparing for a highly anticipated offseason involving Donovan Mitchell.
Mitchell, 29, will earn $50.1 million in 2026-27 with a $53.8 million player option for 2027-28. The Cavs are expected to offer an extension to the franchise superstar. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst mentioned on 5 Good Minutes with Windy, saying, “The first second that is available, they will offer him as big a contract extension as they can offer him.”
“They are gonna hope whether they get to the conference finals and lose on Game 7 at the buzzer or they get knocked out in the first round. They are gonna hope like heck that he signs it,” Windhorst added.
Donovan Mitchell’s Value to the Cavaliers
Since being acquired from the Utah Jazz before the start of the 2022-23 season, Donovan Mitchell has been the No. 1 guy for the Cleveland Cavaliers from the beginning.
An undersized guard who’s always played bigger than his listing, Mitchell has evolved his game since joining the Cavs. His first year in Cleveland was electric, averaging 28.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.4 assists. Although these numbers vary by year, Donovan Mitchell had another impressive regular season in 2025-26. In 70 games, he averaged 27.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.7 assists.
The Cavaliers have been a top-four seed in the East in every season with Donovan Mitchell on the roster. This success peaked in 2024-25, finishing as the No. 1 seed in the East before being eliminated early in the playoffs. With an improved roster this season, Cleveland will begin the path to the Finals in a four-five matchup against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday.
Cleveland went out and traded for former NBA MVP James Harden at the trade deadline in February. This deal doubled down on the Cavaliers’ now-or-never attitude. Heading into the postseason, Cleveland has one of the best backcourts in the league with Mitchell and Harden.
The duo will also have star-studded help with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in the front court. With the majority of Cleveland’s roster being healthy ahead of their first-round series against the Toronto Raptors, there is high expectations for the franchise.
Cavaliers vs. Raptors Preview
Cleveland is expected to have their main core healthy for Game 1 on Saturday. Jarrett Allen will play in Game 1 despite a lingering knee injury.
“I’ve had some time off for it to calm down and back to the level where it should be,” Allen told Matthew Gold of NBA.com. “It’s not going to go away immediately, but it’s enough to where I can play at a high level.”
Meanwhile, the Raptors are waiting to hear on the status of starting point guard Immanuel Quickley.
Quickley, 26, is listed as questionable for Game 1 due to a mild hamstring strain. He returned for the Raptors in a limited fashion at the end of the regular season, but it appears that the injury is still affecting his play.
Outside of Quickley, the Raptors are healthy heading into the first round. Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes, and RJ Barrett will look to lead the way for Toronto in their first playoff appearance since 2022.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Cavaliers Reveal Donovan Mitchell Contract Decision: Report appeared first on Heavy Sports.