The New York Knicks swept Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell told Marc J. Spears of ESPN that he feels "embarrassed" after getting swept by the New York Knicks in the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals.
Mitchell was born and raised in New York.
Starting on July 7, Mitchell can sign an extension with the Cavaliers that adds four years and $277 million to his current deal. Adding four seasons would require Mitchell to decline his player option for the 2027-28 season.
Next season is Mitchell's 10th in the NBA. If the former Utah Jazz guard waits until next summer for a new contract, the Cavaliers can sign him to a five-year, roughly $352 million deal.
Mitchell wants to remain with Cleveland. He has a close relationship with James Harden and Kenny Atkinson.
"I love it here, I don't know any other way to say it," Mitchell said. "I'm sorry for the city of Cleveland. For it to be like this and the sweep. That's ass. But I told y'all last year, and I'll say again, we'll be back. We'll be ready. We'll be hungry. And we'll be locked in."
Cleveland made the conference finals this year for the first time without LeBron James on the roster since 1992. The Cavaliers should have won Game 1 in New York at MSG. Trailing by 22 points with 8:19 left in the fourth quarter of Game 1, the Knicks had Jalen Brunson go at Harden on defense and it got ugly for Harden and Co.
The result was a 44-11 flurry by New York in the fourth quarter and overtime, completing one of the greatest comebacks in NBA history with a 115-104 victory.
The Cavaliers will be linked to LeBron and Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer. Some people believe Cleveland could offer Evan Mobley to Milwaukee for Antetokounmpo.
There will be an abundance of storylines to track in Cleveland this offseason, but Atkinson isn't going anywhere. Atkinson is 116-48 in the regular season and 13-14 in the playoffs with the Cavaliers. He won the 2024-25 Coach of the Year Award.
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