Cleveland Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman backed star guard Donovan Mitchell after the team was swept by the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Altman called Mitchell “uniquely our own” and “our guy” on Friday, via Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
“He’s still playing the best basketball of his career, right? Look, Donovan is our guy,” Altman told reporters. “He loves it here. I think he’s professed how much he loves it here emphatically.”
Mitchell will be eligible for an extension during the summer.
He’s current set to earn $50.1 million for the 2026-27 season and holds a $53.8 million player option for his 2027-28 campaign (via Spotrac).
Mitchell is coming off his fourth season in Cleveland, earning an All-Star nod as well as an All-NBA Second Team selection. He averaged 27.9 points and 5.7 assists to go along with 4.5 rebounds per game during the regular season, shooting 48.3 percent on field goals and 36.4 percent on triples.
While Mitchell had several impressive moments during the Cavs’ 2026 playoff run, he also struggled at times.
He amassed six postseason games with at least 30 points this year, but also compiled six playoff contests in which he shot below 43 percent from the field.
With extension negotiations potentially on the horizon, Mitchell still has the support of Altman.
