Donovan Mitchell Could Copy This Move From Jalen Brunson to Help Cavaliers

Donovan Mitchell is eligible for a contract extension this offseason, could he decide to take the approach of now NBA Champion Jalen Brunson.

May 23, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) reacts in the third quarter against the New York Knicks during game three of the eastern conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

In July of 2022, Jalen Brunson left the Dallas Mavericks after a Western Conference Finals appearance and signed a four-year $104 million contract with the New York Knicks, his hometown team.

By 2024, he was ready to commit to the team in the long run and signed a four-year extension worth $156 million. If he had waited just a year later, he would have made nearly $113 million on his contract.

He decided to take the team friendly deal with the idea that he would be on a championship caliber team. New York rewarded him by making multiple blockbuster trades to get them there.

Now in 2026, the Knicks won their first championship in 53 years and Brunson was the Finals MVP.

This all leads to the Cleveland Cavaliers this offseason. Donovan Mitchell is extension eligible and there should be plans in place to get Mitchell on a similar deal to Brunson to help this team get back to the NBA Finals.

Signing team friendly this offseason

Cleveland is thin on money they can spend on players right now since they are in the second apron. Getting Mitchell on a deal this offseason does not get them out of that apron, but the team is looking to get some money dropped this offseason.

A four-year $272 million extension is what the Cavs and Donovan Mitchell could agree to this offseason if the All-NBA guard wants to give Cleveland more room to build.

It looks like the Cavs are really going to be trading point guard Dennis Schroder and his contract, with other players also likely being on the block.

James Harden has also been open to taking less money to help the team get under the second apron. If Harden is willing to make that move, why couldn't Don. Harden has never been that kind of player.

Waiting until end of contract

This is a worse case scenario for the Cavs. Mitchell would be able to make $352 million. A significant increase in his maximum contract because he would then have been in the league 10 seasons. With that experience he can make 35% more on his maximum contract.

Doing this however, would leave Cleveland paying all of their money to just Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen for the foreseeable future. Those three have shown they can not get the job done on their own.

You would also be running the risk of him leaving to go to another team, leaving Cleveland in a spot between a rebuild and contending without their best player.

Currently, it does not look like Mitchell is going to be signing an extension with the team this offseason. Koby Altman and the front office in Cleveland need to do everything they can to entice Mitchell into making that deal this year.

Donovan Mitchell has spoken multiple times about his love for Cleveland and wanting to be here. If that is the case, he should be more open to making that deal.