May 6, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) reacts to a foul being called against the New York Knicks during the second half of game three of the 2023 NBA playoffs at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
The Miami Heat are a possible landing spot for Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell if he requests a trade, but it’s becoming clear fans and analysts may be jumping to conclusions.
The five-time All-Star took to social media on Thursday to address the lingering rumors, responding to a post from Bleacher Report. The post claimed that Mitchell “grew frustrated with some teammates’ lack of maturity, focus, playoff-level readiness and a willingness to listen,” according to reporter Chris Fedor.
Mitchell was frustrated with the apparently false report, stating, “Yeah aight [cap emoji] I’m sick of yall sometimes!” He also liked a post from podcaster Mack Perry, which said, “Feels like the media wants Mitchell gone. [Expletive] em.”
“I think if Donovan chose not to extend, he would be able to kind of direct the trade a little bit because of the one year on his contract,” analyst Brian Windhorst said on an episode of ESPN’s Get Up. “The Miami Heat have been star hunting for a year now. They’re always star hunting. They have some players on their roster who would potentially be interesting to Cleveland, but not as deep in draft picks as others.”
Mitchell’s player option for the 2026 season is likely insignificant because he will either switch teams or extend his contract prior. The Heat should think twice before going all-in for the five-time All-Star due to the lack of success of front-loaded rosters. The Phoenix Suns Big Three had championship expectations this season but were swept in the first round, leaving their future in jeopardy.
There’s no doubt Mitchell is one of the league’s top shooting guards, averaging 26.6 points, 6.1 assists, and 5.1 rebounds on 46.2 percent shooting in 55 games last season. Tyler Herro, a young player (Jaime Jaquez Jr. or Nikola Jovic), and draft capital are a sufficient package, but holding onto depth is arguably more important for a team that has reached the NBA Finals twice since 2020.
