The Cleveland Cavaliers have recently made two key moves to secure their future. First, they hired Kenny Atkinson as their new head coach. Additionally, the team has secured a crucial piece of their team by agreeing to terms with Donovan Mitchell on a new contract extension. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Mitchell signed a three-year, $150.5 million maximum contract extension.
While some may question why Mitchell did not sign a longer contract for more money, it seems that this deal was structured to benefit both Mitchell and the Cavaliers. Wojnarowski explained that this extension provides the Cavs with stability by keeping their franchise player under contract beyond the next season. Furthermore, this deal puts Mitchell on track to potentially earn a 5-year, $380 million-plus extension in 2027, as he nears the 10-year service criteria.
Since joining the Cavaliers in 2022, Mitchell has been playing some of the best basketball of his career. Over the past two seasons, he has averaged 27.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. Mitchell has been instrumental in leading the Cavs to back-to-back postseason appearances, including their first playoff series win since LeBron James departed for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018. This victory in the first round against the Orlando Magic marked the team’s first playoff series win without James since 1993.
The hiring of Atkinson as head coach is also significant for the Cavaliers’ future success. With his experience coaching successful NBA teams like Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks, Atkinson brings a fresh perspective and innovative ideas to Cleveland’s roster.
Overall, these two moves by the Cavaliers demonstrate their commitment to building a strong and competitive team for years to come with both Mitchell and Atkinson leading them towards success on and off the court.