The Los Angeles Lakers are considered a top destination for one of the most sought after NBA players who may end up on the trade block in the coming days.
That player is Donovan Mitchell, currently of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who Adam Wells of Bleacher Report on Wednesday, June 26, listed as an ideal candidate to help L.A. appease its aging stars LeBron James (40) and Anthony Davis (31).
Assuming LeBron James stays with the Los Angeles Lakers, they are going to be under an even more intense microscope next season than normal. He will turn 40 and only has so much time left in the NBA to add to his already-historic resume.
Per The Athletic’s Sam Amick, James and Anthony Davis would prefer to see the Lakers go “all-in for another elite player” this offseason. Amick also noted that Mitchell has “long been seen as a premier target” for Los Angeles if he were to become available.
Mitchell has two years remaining on his current $163 million contract with a $37.1 million player option next summer. As such, the combo guard and five-time consecutive All-Star is eligible to sign a four-year contract extension with the Cavs worth a total of $209 million in the coming days.
Whether he will, however, remains an open question.
The Utah Jazz traded Mitchell to the Cavaliers in September 2022. Cleveland took on Mitchell understanding that he had a desire to eventually land with one of the two New York franchises, as he is from the area.
The Cavs have been aggressive in trying to improve their roster and have earned playoff berths in each of Mitchell’s two seasons as a result, losing in the first round to the Knicks two years ago and besting the Orlando Magic in seven games this year before the Boston Celtics dispatched the Cavaliers in five games during the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Cleveland also recently hired Kenny Atkinson as its new head coach, a move most insiders around the league believe will make Mitchell more inclined to stay. However, the redundant skill sets of Mitchell and fellow guard Darius Garland may put the Cavs in a position this summer where they must decide which man to trade and which to keep.
Complicating the situation is that Mitchell may sign the extension, which is the largest any team can offer him, then ask for a trade shortly down the road. If he doesn’t agree to an extension this summer, he can tie the Cavs’ hands, as Mitchell could simply opt out next summer and leave for nothing.
Darius Garland Could Also End Up Trade Target for Lakers.
aged nearly 22 points per game in 2021-22, the year before Mitchell arrived in Cleveland. His statistics have dipped since then, and they got worse due to a broken jaw he suffered last season that cost him several games. Garland played only 57 regular-season contests across the campaign as a result.
Garland is also a potential trade target for the Lakers should the Cavs make him available, and while he may be primed to bounce back elsewhere next season playing next to someone other than Mitchell, there is no question that Mitchell is the superior player.
Mitchell averaged 28.3 points per game in his first year with Cleveland, following that up with 26.6 points per night last season. He added 6.1 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 1.8 steals, per Basketball Reference, and connected on nearly 37% of his 3-point shots on 9 attempts per game.
