New York (AFP) – Donovan Mitchell has agreed to a three-year NBA contract extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers worth $150.3 million that keeps him with the team through 2028-29, according to multiple reports Tuesday.
The 27-year-old guard, a five-time NBA All-Star who spent five seasons with Utah before joining the Cavs in 2022, averaged 26.6 points and career highs of 6.1 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 1.8 steals a game last season.
NBA free agency rules place a moratorium on signings until Saturday, meaning teams cannot complete deals, leaving media reports to reveal what plans are in store for top players and clubs.
The Cavaliers, who lost to eventual champion Boston in the second round of last season’s playoffs, fired coach J.B. Bickerstaff after the campaign and have hired former Golden State assistant coach Kenny Atkinson as their new head coach.
Mitchell’s deal, according to ESPN, includes a $54 million player option for the 2027-28 season, pushing the Cavs to become a contender in the next three seasons to keep the star playmaker.
Free agency has already produced some big moves, with Paul George departing the Los Angeles Clippers to join the Philadelphia 76ers and Klay Thompson leaving the Golden State Warriors to join Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving with the Dallas Mavericks, who lost to Boston in last month’s NBA Finals.
The Celtics have signed extensions with their starting lineup after making a deal Monday with Jayson Tatum for a five-year extension worth $315 million — the largest contract in league history.
Boston made a two-year deal to keep forward Xavier Tillman, ESPN reported Tuesday.
Among other free agents on the market is LeBron James, who is expected to make a deal to stay with the Los Angeles Lakers and play alongside his son Bronny, taken by the team in the second round of last week’s NBA Draft.
In other deals reported Tuesday, Orlando agreed to terms on a five-year renegotiation and extension worth $84 million with forward Jonathan Isaac and a two-year deal worth $22 million with German power forward Mo Wagner.
Isaac suffered a left knee injury in 2020 and underwent knee surgery but missed the next two NBA campaigns, returning to the league in January 2023 after missing 2.5 years.
He averaged 6.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocked shots a game for Orlando last season.
Wagner averaged 10.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists last season in a reserve role for the Magic.
The 27-year-old from Berlin began his NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018 and has made stops in Washington and Boston.
The Indiana Pacers also reached a deal with center James Wiseman on a two-year contract.
Wiseman, 23, joins a Pacers team that reportedly lost center Jalen Smith to Chicago.
Wiseman spent two years with Golden State and the past two NBA seasons with Detroit, averaging 9.1 points and 5.6 rebounds over 147 NBA games.
© 2024 AFP
