Former Miami Heat Free Agency Target Donovan Mitchell Details His Summer

Once last season ended, the Miami Heat were linked with All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell.

A trade never happened and Mitchell ended up being moved from the Utah Jazz to the Cleveland Cavaliers. On Wednesday, he held his introductory press conference with the Cavs.

Mitchell said he thought he would've landed with the New York Knicks because of their abundance of tradeable draft pick assets. Mitchell is also a New York native.

"Obviously, all summer, I didn't say much," Mitchell said. "But for me, once Rudy got traded, I saw the writing on the wall. I think we all did. I think we understood we had a good run. I kind of had a feeling I was going to get moved. I thought it was New York. I'm not going to y'all. Obviously, who doesn't want to be next to your mom?"

“I thought it was New York, I’m not gonna lie to y’all … I’m truly excited to be here.”

Donovan Mitchell talks landing with the Cavs after rumors he would join the Knicks. pic.twitter.com/uBBEx9Qwwu
— NBA TV (@NBATV) September 14, 2022

With the Heat being unable to acquire Mitchell, they will enter this season with basically the same lineup as last year. That's not necessarily a bad thing. The Heat fell just one victory shy of the NBA Finals, losing to the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals.

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Shandel Richardson is the Miami Heat writer for Inside The Heat. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA.