The Rockets were one of the teams that could’ve made a move for Mitchell if last summer played out differently.
The Houston Rockets have been one of the pleasant surprises of the NBA season. They currently sit third in the Western Conference with a 12-6 record. It has worked out for them so far this season, but they could’ve looked like a very different team if Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell hadn’t signed a three-year extension to stay with the team last summer. According to Marc Stein, the Rockets were one of the teams that would’ve been interested in trying to put together a trade package for Mitchell if the Cavs were forced to listen to offers.
One more note on the Rockets: League sources say Houston did have real designs on pursuing Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell if the 28-year-old had elected to pass on a contract extension in the offseason, which almost certainly would have forced the Cavaliers to field trade inquiries for him.
Yet Mitchell hushed all such talk by signing a three-year, $150 million extension, committing his immediate future to the Cavaliers and — along with extensions for Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen and the hiring of Kenny Atkinson as coach — contributing hugely to the franchise solidity that has propelled Cleveland to a 16-1 start.
Things couldn’t have worked out better for the Cavs last off-season. Mitchell extended, their core has been working perfectly together, and they’ve found the perfect head coach for this team. None of those things were guaranteed when they were eliminated from the playoffs by the Boston Celtics last May.
It’s interesting to think about how different this year could’ve been for the Cavs if things had gone differently last summer. It’s clear that they would’ve had their pick among some interesting packages for Mitchell if it came down to it. Fortunately for Cleveland, it's just a thought exercise and not a reality.
