Sports
Nets Should Aggressively Pursue Cavaliers' Donovan Mitchell Amid NBA Trade Rumors – Bleacher Report
Donovan Mitchell has spent the past two seasons playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers. But the 27-year-old guard may not be with the team for the long term, considering he’s set to become a free agent after the 2023-24 NBA season.
There’s been some buzz that Mitchell’s time in Cleveland could near an end by the upcoming summer. He even made it known in October he wouldn’t be signing an extension with the Cavs while the season was ongoing.
If the Cavaliers don’t think they’ll be able to ink Mitchell to a long-term deal once the offseason arrives, perhaps they’ll consider moving him prior to the NBA’s Feb. 8 trade deadline. There’s been buzz about that possibility, too.
According to Matt Moore of Action Network, the New York Knicks could be a team looking to swing a midseason deal for Mitchell. But they may not be the only New York franchise in pursuit of the four-time All-Star.
“One name I heard from multiple sources to look out for if the Knicks can’t get a deal done for Mitchell is the always-star-shopping Brooklyn Nets, who have a plethora of assets to get such a deal done,” Moore wrote.
Mitchell would provide a big boost to the Nets, and for that reason, they should be aggressive in trying to land the 6-foot-3 standout before the trade deadline.
Brooklyn is among the playoff contenders in the Eastern Conference, as the team is off to a 13-10 start this season. It sits in eighth place in the East, just ahead of Cleveland (13-11).
The Nets have a solid backcourt in Spencer Dinwiddie and Cam Thomas, who is joined by Mikal Bridges on the wings. But they could go from a bubble team to a legitimate postseason threat by bringing in Mitchell, who has only improved since spending his first five seasons with the Utah Jazz.
Through 19 games this season, Mitchell is averaging 27.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.9 steals. He is also shooting 45.2 percent from the field, which is above his career average (44.8).
The level of star power that Mitchell possesses is something that Brooklyn is still missing this season. And as Moore mentioned, the Nets have the draft capital to pull off a trade with the Cavaliers, as they own a wealth of future first-round picks due to moves they’ve made in recent memory.
Of course, Brooklyn may not want to part with too many selections unless Mitchell is open to signing a long-term extension. So that is something the team will need to weigh if it negotiates with Cleveland.
But if the Nets can acquire Mitchell and retain him as a building block for the future, they should do what it takes to make that happen. It would improve their roster for both this season and the years ahead.
