The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t just secure Donovan Mitchell’s future. In that process, they handed him one of the richest contracts in NBA history.
On the first day of becoming eligible for an extension, Mitchell agreed to a four-year, $272.8 million deal that includes a player option for the 2030-31 season and a 15% trade kicker. That agreement seals Mitchell as the face of the Cavaliers for the foreseeable future.
The massive total is impressive in itself, but breaking it down makes it even more staggering.
Mitchell will reportedly earn $396 every second, $23,763 every minute, and roughly $831,707 per game during this extension. Even while making a free throw, Mitchell will roughly earn $3,961 before the ball even leaves his hand.
And this is comparable to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s $285 million extension, where he will make nearly a million for every game during the latter stages.
The extension won’t kick in until the end of next season, as Mitchell is still in the final year of his previous deal, where he will make $50.1 million during the 2026-27 season. His new deal will kick in at the start of the 2027-28 season, with salaries rising every season.
His estimated salary breakdown looks like this:
– 2027-28: $60.9 million
– 2028-29: $65.7 million
– 2029-30: $70.6 million
– 2030-31: $75.5 million (Player Option)
The extension also includes a 15% trade kicker, meaning if Mitchell is ever traded, his salary could increase by up to 15% under the salary cap rules.
Mitchell, in fact, left more money on the table.
If he had waited for another season, he could have been eligible for a five-year extension worth roughly $353 million, nearly $80 million more. Instead, he chose long-term security and secured his second extension with the Cavaliers, which will take his expected career earnings to over $511 million.
And to be honest, he deserved this extension without a doubt.
Mitchell is coming off another outstanding season, averaging 27.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.7 assists while shooting 48.3% from the field and 36.4% from three-point range. He earned his second All-NBA Second Team selection and seventh All-Star appearance while leading the Cavaliers to the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Cavaliers already have one of the strongest cores, and they are looking to add LeBron James as well. They are the frontrunners, and this extension will only add to their case.
When a player earns nearly $24,000 every minute, the expectations will be enormous. But based on everything that Mitchell has accomplished so far, the Cavaliers believe every dollar is a worthy investment.
