The Cleveland Cavaliers are poised for a shakeup this off-season after being swept by the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals.
A LeBron James return to “The Land” remains a possibility. An Evan Mobley trade that would land Jaylen Brown gained some steam this week. And a Donovan Mitchell trade remains a possibility given the questions about whether or not he will sign an extension this off-season.
On Friday on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland, NBA writer Greg Swartz discussed the possibility of the Cavs trading Mitchell instead of Mobley.
“I would probably be more likely to trade Donovan than Evan at this point,” Swartz said on The Ken Carman Show. “A lot of that comes down to money. If Donovan agrees to sign that four-year extension for $270 million, that’s a lot of money. You’re paying $70 million a year for a guy who’s going to turn 30 this year. He’s a shorter guard. That scares me a little bit.
“He’s still, arguably, a top 10-12 player [in the NBA]. Seventy million’s a lot but you can justify it. My problem is, if Donovan says no [to a contract extension this summer] and says ‘I want to wait until the summer of 2027. I want my full 10 years. I want my full 35 percent of the [salary] cap. I want my five-year, $380 million contract.’ I’m saying ‘no,’ as the Cavs. I can’t do that. I can’t give you $80 million a year when we don’t know if you can be the best player on a championship team. That’s Wemby money. That’s Luka money. That’s Shai money.”
If Cavs president of basketball operations Koby Altman does entertain a Mitchell trade this off-season, here are some potential landing spots.
Donovan Mitchell to Houston Rockets trade rumors
Houston is one of those NBA teams that is “one piece away” from true title contention. The Rockets have often been linked to Mitchell over the years and this summer could be the time to strike.
“The one thing [the Rockets] do have is assets,” ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said in early May. “They’ve got the 2027 and 2029 Suns picks. They’ve got the 2029 Mavs picks. They’ve got a swap in 2027 with the Brooklyn Nets. They are loaded and they’ve got their own picks moving forward … If Donovan Mitchell is available, that is a guy I could see the Rockets being aggressive to get.”
After the Rockets’ exit from the playoffs, Yahoo Sports NBA reporter Kelly Iko, wrote that Mitchell was one of the players that could be a target for Houston this summer.
Iko also wrote on June 22 that the Rockets have informed other teams that the only player that is “untouchable” on their roster is Amen Thompson. Alperen Sengun has found his way into the trade rumor mill a bunch lately, and would likely be a player that is sent out in a Mitchell trade.
Donovan Mitchell to Boston Celtics trade rumors
The Celtics are another team that is poised to make a big move this summer, as Brown has been mentioned as a part of pretty much every trade rumor under the sun over the past few days.
Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix said this week on NBC Sports Boston that the Celtics might be interested in doing business with the Cavs, although it would likely be a trade centered around Mobley.
On Friday, though, ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins did mention a potential Brown for Mitchell swap.
“I would like to see Jaylen in Cleveland. Jaylen Brown paired with Evan Mobley,” Perkins said. “Who would be mad at a Donovan Mitchell–Jaylen Brown swap?”
Adding intrigue to this trade proposal is the fact that Boston has often been mentioned as a potential landing spot for Mitchell over the years given his close relationship with Jayson Tatum.
After a game against Mitchell and the Cavaliers this past March, Tatum gushed over Mitchell.
“[Mitchell] is a great friend of mine. I’ve known him since high school,” Tatum said. “What I’ve realized is that the NBA is like a brotherhood. Guys, even on the opposite team, happy to see me out here. It was just mutual love, mutual respect. It’s been a while since I’ve competed against him.”
Donovan Mitchell to LA Lakers trade rumors
The Lakers are yet another team that has looked hard at acquiring Mitchell in past seasons. In February of 2024 around that year’s trade deadline, CBS Sports writer Bill Reiter reported that “a complicating factor on whether or not the Lakers acquire an impact player in the next 24 hours is the belief within the organization that they could have a chance to acquire Donovan Mitchell this summer.”
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported this week that the Lakers would “kill” to land the Cavaliers’ Jarrett Allen in a potential sign-and-trade for LeBron James. Another sign-and-trade option for the Lakers would be targeting Mitchell in a trade for LeBron. That swap would better match the financial implications of LeBron heading back to Cleveland.
It’s unlikely that LeBron will want to take a major paycut to return to the Cavs and wind up in a situation where he’s being paid less than the likes of James Harden or even Max Strus. If Altman is serious about bringing James back, he will have to clear out some money.
Of course, on the Lakers’ end, this would be a dream come true. To get a player the caliber of Mitchell, instead of getting nothing in return should LeBron straight-up sign with another team in free agency would be quite the coup.
A Mitchell to LA trade remains highly unlikely, but given how wild this NBA off-season has already become, anything is possible.
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