Donovan Mitchell finally has the power to dictate his next landing spot
Looking back when it was initially reported that the Utah Jazz was going to trade Donovan Mitchell, there was a preferred landing spot list. Many seem to forget that. The teams on that list were the New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, and Miami Heat. The Cleveland Cavaliers, predictably, were not on that list. Even though many will argue that it doesn’t matter, it does. Especially for the amount of power that Mitchell could have over the next calendar year.
After this season, Mitchell will have just one year left on his contract before he can test free agency. That’s when he’ll have the power to dictate his next landing spot if he doesn’t want to wait for the summer. In the final year of his deal, Mitchell can demand a trade and pretty much handpick where he wants to go – many teams aren’t going to trade for a player if there’s a chance they aren’t able to re-sign him. It will be the first time in his career that he could essentially handpick the place he wants to go next.
It’s easy to see why this is an increasingly important season for the Cleveland Cavaliers. You can also see why there’s a very good chance this ends up being Mitchell’s final season in a Cavs uniform.