If Donovan Mitchell was traded to Cleveland in 2022, there was widespread skepticism that he would be willing to commit Cavaliers long term. But since then, Mitchell has signed a couple of contract extensions and talked Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required) ahead of the 2026/27 season that he cannot imagine playing for another team.
“I never want to wear another uniform. I don’t have that vision.” Mitchell said. “Business is business. I understand how it works. There might be a situation where we can’t win anymore and business will happen, right?”
“… But the goal of this (last) expansion is to stay here forever. … I have to bet. We have to bet. I’m not saying the expansion guarantees a championship. But that’s the goal. That’s why I wake up every morning. I don’t want to be anywhere else. I can’t see it. I can’t ever imagine.
“My dream is to stay here forever and hopefully one day I’ll be 45.”
After signing a three-year max salary extension in July 2024, Mitchell made a new deal with the Cavaliers this July on the first day he became eligible.
The deal came after the Cavs beat the eventual champion Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. As demoralizing as this result was, the Star Guard told reporters said immediately after the team’s Game 4 loss that he “likes it” in Cleveland and backed up that statement by making a long-term commitment to the organization.
Mitchell’s latest extension is a maximum four-year deal that will run through at least the 2029/30 season, with a player option for ’30/31.
There’s a good chance this isn’t Mitchell’s last NBA contract. He will enter his age-35 season in the fall of 2031. Still, he explained to Fedor, he and his wife have grown to love Cleveland, and he hopes he’ll get a chance to finish his career with the Cavaliers.
“One thing I felt when I first came here was home” Mitchell said. “You try to put yourself in as peaceful a situation as possible. When you feel like the organization is doing everything to win … The Gilberts are building a new practice building and I joke about the food on every drive, but it’s also real. It’s all important. I feel safe. I know my neighbors. You feel at ease. You feel peaceful. That’s all part of it. I always talk about my wife loving Cleveland. That’s a big part of it, too.
“When I first got here, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I probably would have said like any other NBA player who just stays in a hotel and doesn’t go and understand and see what Cleveland is. I probably would have said, ‘Man, I’m ready to go, too.’ in the Championship and it’s a team thing, but we’re putting ourselves in a position to be there.”
