TITLE: Cavaliers weigh Harden opt-in, Mitchell extension and Mobley trade chatter as offseason opens
SLUG: cavaliers-offseason-harden-mitchell-mobley
CONTENT:
The Cleveland Cavaliers are entering the summer with three pressing roster issues: James Harden’s contract status, Donovan Mitchell’s looming extension window and leaguewide speculation surrounding Evan Mobley’s future.
Harden could trim cap hit
According to ESPN front-office analysts Bobby Marks and Tim Bontemps, Harden’s two-year, $81.5 million agreement with the Los Angeles Clippers contains a $42.3 million player option for 2024-25. Marks said both sides could restructure that figure to roughly $28 million next season in a new two-year, $56 million deal. A lower first-year salary would help Cleveland slip beneath the NBA’s second luxury-tax apron while still giving Harden additional guaranteed money. Bontemps noted that a three-year pact might be necessary to comply with the league’s over-38 rule.
Mitchell eligible for massive deal
Mitchell can negotiate a four-year, $272 million extension beginning July 7. If he waits until 2027, the guard could sign a five-year contract projected at $352 million, though he would play the 2027-28 campaign on an expiring deal. Mitchell has repeatedly said he intends to stay as long as the club remains a contender.
Second apron drives front-office calculus
Bontemps emphasized that dropping below the second apron would restore trade flexibility; above that threshold, Cleveland may include only one player in outgoing deals. Reaching that target would allow president of basketball operations Koby Altman to pursue larger roster upgrades.
Mobley deemed off-limits—publicly
After team owner Dan Gilbert posted on social media that the Cavaliers are “nowhere near where we need to be,” rumors surfaced that a dramatic move—potentially involving Mobley—could be on the table. Altman dismissed the idea following the first-round sweep by New York, pointing out that Cleveland owns the NBA’s third-best record over the past five seasons since drafting the 22-year-old forward and crediting Mobley for “impacting winning.”
The organization’s working plan is to keep Harden, Mitchell and Mobley together while searching for salary-cap maneuvers that avoid breaking up the core.
Source: Hoops Wire
