The Cleveland Cavaliers will soon deal with an issue that many teams around the NBA would love to to be able to figure out, and that’s how to pay all of the stars on their roster. Though Darius Garland is under contract with the Cavs for the foreseeable future, Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley will be eligible for new deals sooner.
The Cavs don’t really have to worry about contract negotiations right this second, but every good franchise knows how to plan ahead.
According to a recent report from NBA insider Brian Windhorst, the Cavs are already keeping an eye on evolving NBA extension rules so that they can be as prepared as possible for when Mobley and Mitchell need new deals.
“I know another team that’s keeping an eye on the extension rules are the Cavs because Donovan Mitchell has two years left on his contract, but they’re a little bit jammed up in how they can extend him if they also want to give Evan Mobley a max extension, which I would predict that they are headed in that direction,” Windhorst said. “… You just never want your star players to get to unrestricted free agency. And that’s why the nitty gritty on this CBA that we think will get done before next season, whether it’s during this season or it’s in the summer, is gonna matter.”
There is no doubt that when the Cavs made the blockbuster trade for Mitchell this past summer, the front office foresaw years of title contention with its trio of Mitchell, Mobley and Garland.
The team should be able to find a way to make it all work going forward, but it might not be easy.
When it comes to the kind of production that Mitchell and Mobley are offering the Cavs, there is no doubt that they have the potential to be an elite duo for many years to come.
Mitchell is putting up 28.4 points, 4.8 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game this season. He’s shooting 48.4 percent from the field.
The 26-year-old has missed three straight games for the Cavs with a groin injury. Though the first two games ended in losses for the Cavs, their most recent game against the Milwaukee Bucks ended with a Cleveland win.
Mobley was a huge reason why. In that game, he continued to show that he has the potential to be one of the best big men in the entire league by dropping 38 points in a career night. He shot 70.4 percent from the field in the game.
Obviously, both players are a big part of the Cavs’ future plans. It will be interesting to see how the team figures out a way to make the money work.
