With Donovan Mitchell’s future uncertain and Cleveland’s roster in flux, Houston could pounce on the disgruntled superstar to transform their rebuild into an immediate championship pursuit.
While seven teams are still battling it out for the Larry O’Brien trophy, the Houston Rockets have already started their offseason. Their playoff run ended in disappointment, as recapped on Roundtable, so the front office has a big job ahead of them this summer.
One proposed move has Houston taking a swing at a superstar level talent who’s still playing in meaningful games. Donovan Mitchell is the big fish in question on Sports Illustrated. Despite there not being any framework for an actual trade proposal, it’s still a name to get excited about.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are currently facing a 2-1 deficit in Round 2 of the playoffs and have already made significant roster changes. Even though they’re facing the top seeded Pistons, I could see a world where they look to shake things up even more if they fail to advance.
Donovan Mitchell is heading into the last guaranteed year on his contract due to a player option in 2027-28. He’s never made the conference finals and has never been a free agent. It seems like an ideal time for him to take his future into his own hands.
That could definitely complicate any trade, as he’d be on an expiring contract without any commitment to a new team. We've seen stars like Kawhi, AD, and Harden try to force their hand in similar situations, with varying levels of success.
James Harden is also a question mark again, with many assuming he’ll decline his player option before coming to an agreement to stay in Cleveland. That might depend on how their postseason ends, as well as what Mitchell decides for himself.
Make sure to keep an eye on this situation because there’s a lot of moving pieces. After all, people still aren’t giving up on the idea of LeBron returning to the Cavs, per Sports Illustrated.