The Cleveland Cavaliers were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Finals by the eventual champions, the New York Knicks. Since then the front office has been on a quest to take the next step,  a return to the Finals and maybe a first title since 2016. Reports have even linked the Cavs to a possible reunion with LeBron James. But first, they needed to sort out the future of the man who took them to the 2026 ECF, Donovan Mitchell.

After weeks of speculation about whether Mitchell would wait another year before signing, he finally decided. On Tuesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Mitchell has agreed to a four year, $273 million veteran extension with Cleveland. To do this, he passed up the opportunity to maximize his earnings. 

Had he chosen to wait until next summer, according to Charania, he could have landed an even bigger deal worth roughly $80 million more. Instead, he chose to sign as soon as he became eligible, which shows his commitment to the Cavaliers and the city of Cleveland.

ESPN insider Brian Windhorst previously reported that “the expectation is that Donovan Mitchell will not sign an extension this summer.” Instead, the NBA All-Star did the opposite, agreeing immediately to the extension, giving Cleveland certainty around its franchise player.

Last season, the 29-year-old averaged 27.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game during the regular season, and 26.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg and 3.1 apg during the postseason.

Mitchell’s extension keeps Cleveland in the LeBron James sweepstakes. Cleveland reporters believe that it strengthens the Cavaliers’ position because LeBron would be joining an already-established contender instead of carrying a rebuilding team.

What’s Next for the Cavaliers and LeBron James Following Mitchell’s Extension

Following Donovan Mitchell’s extension, Cleveland’s attention now shifts to arguably the biggest question of their offseason: can they convince LeBron James to come home one last time?

With Donovan Mitchell now under contract for the foreseeable future, Cleveland has eliminated the uncertainty that could have complicated its pursuit of the four-time NBA champion. The Cavaliers, led by Mitchell, alongside James Harden and Evan Mobley, will mean that LeBron would not be asked to shoulder the offensive burden as he did during his previous stint.

League insiders continue to identify Cleveland as one of the frontrunners alongside the Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat. While no decision is believed to happen anytime soon, per agent Rich Paul, Mitchell’s commitment has given the Cavaliers a stronger recruiting pitch to convince LeBron to come back home.

The next phase will likely depend on LeBron’s priorities. If his focus remains on competing for another championship rather than leading a rebuilding franchise, Cleveland now ticks more boxes than it did before Mitchell signed.