Trading Donovan Mitchell would be the end of the current Cleveland Cavaliers playoff run
The Cleveland Cavaliers would likely blow up their whole roster if the club moves on from Donovan Mitchell.
Trading Donovan Mitchell would be the end of the current Cleveland Cavaliers playoff run originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . If the Cleveland Cavaliers bow out early in the 2026 NBA Playoffs, there's every chance the franchise will blow up the roster for next season.
Donovan Mitchell is about to enter the final two years of his contract after this postseason. If the Cavs continue to disappoint in the playoffs, he may not want to extend his deal with the Cavaliers. He appears to love Cleveland, but at the end of the day, he wants to win an NBA title and may want to look elsewhere to achieve that career goal.
The Cavs seem to appreciate that, and according to Fred Katz of The Athletic , the Cavs are willing to trade Mitchell if he doesn't re-up his contract with Cleveland. Mitchell is the key to not only the on-court schemes but also the off-court roster construction. With Mitchell, you know how to build the team out.
In fact, this whole team is built and structured around Mitchell and his playstyle. Without him, this club can't win. Not just because of his talent, but because of the ripple effects that his departure would cause.