The Miami Heat reportedly have “had their eyes” on Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell.
Mitchell, who is under contract with Cleveland through the 2024-25 season (he has a player option for the 2025-26 season), could be on the trade market either this season, in the coming offseason or later on in the future.
Since Mitchell hasn’t signed an extension with Cleveland, the team may eventually be willing to deal him rather than risk losing him for nothing if he opts out of his deal after the 2024-25 campaign.
“If the Cavaliers decide to trade All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell, it will be a major move for the Cavs and the team acquiring him – perhaps Brooklyn, New York or Miami (the Heat have been looking for a combo guard and have long had their eyes on Mitchell),” USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt wrote.
Recently, NBA insider Marc Stein reported that the Cavs “signaled to rival teams” that they aren’t looking to move Mitchell at this time. Stein’s report isn’t the only one that expressed this sentiment, as the Cavs are looking to make a playoff push once Evan Mobley and Darius Garland return from injuries.
The Heat could use a player like Mitchell to bolster their roster, and the team was debating trading for a guard this past offseason.
Miami was linked to both Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday in the trade market, but the team didn’t end up landing either player.
The Heat made the NBA Finals in the 2019-20 season and the 2022-23 campaign, but they have been unable to win a title in the Jimmy Butler era.
It’s possible that the team tries to upgrade the roster in the future by making a deal for Mitchell, who was an All-NBA selection in the 2022-23 season. Mitchell was traded to the Cavs prior to last season, and he promptly led the team to the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference.
This season, Mitchell is averaging 27.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game while shooting 45.7 percent from the field and 34.7 percent from 3-point range. The Cavs currently hold the No. 8 seed in the East.
Even if the Cavs don’t deal Mitchell this season, it seems that Miami could be a team that’s interested in the star guard until a decision is made on his future. Cleveland would likely look to recoup several assets in a deal for Mitchell since the team traded away players like Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton and Ochai Agbaji, as well as draft picks, to bring him to Cleveland.
