Report: Mitchell’s extension could have player option in the fourth year

Mitchell re-upping with the Cavs takes even more shape.

Since the Cleveland Cavaliers’ season ended, the prevailing word has been that Donovan Mitchell will extend with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Now, we have some idea of what that deal could look like.

Per The Action Network’s Matt Moore, there is “a belief” that Mitchell’s possible extension will include a player option in the fourth year. As he noted, HoopsHype Michael Scotto had this detail first.

Donovan Mitchell’s (likely, almost definitely) staying (probably). The word in NBA circles is that Mitchell will re-sign with the Cavaliers, a major coup for Koby Altman and the Cavs’ front office. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype was the first to report the significant element, that Mitchell will sign a deal that takes him through three seasons, allowing him to enter free agency after 10 years of service, which will bump his pay structure. There’s a belief the deal will have a player option for Mitchell in the fourth year to protect Mitchell and maximize flexibility.

This makes sense for purely financial reasons. Mitchell can extend and keep flexibility open in the future to hit free agency again and get a pay bump after 10 years of service. It would have been more surprising if his deal didn’t include an option at the end.

For the Cavs, this is still a win. Getting Mitchell — the best player on the team, a player you traded a lot for — to re-sign was priority No. 1 this offseason. If there’s a player option in the deal, that’s not a reason to balk.