Cleveland just dropped a HUGE bag on Donovan Mitchell, potentially locking him in for four years at up to $272.9 million! His salary could hit a jaw-dropping $75.5 million in 2030-31, which is absolutely bonkers. But hold up, one NBA general manager is already whispering that the Cavs might live to regret that monster extension. You gotta wonder if they just paid way too much for their best player.
NBA Exec Calls Mitchell's Deal Out of Line
ESPN's Tim MacMahon spilled the tea on the Hoop Collective podcast, straight up relaying what an anonymous NBA exec said about deals reaching that mind-blowing $70 million range. This GM was blunt: "there might only be a couple players in the league that are worth that kind of money." That's a huge statement! He essentially argued you need a "generational talent" to justify it. Seriously, the GM put Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Nikola Jokić on that super-elite list, saying it makes sense for *them* to get supermax deals. He even took a shot at Jaylen Brown, a five-time All-Star and former Finals MVP, saying Brown isn't "even close to that" generational level. He added, "It's really hard to tie up that much of your salary cap in one player unless they're truly generational." Oof. That's some serious shade and it shows exactly how some GMs are looking at these insane contracts.Cleveland's Risky History and the New Salary Cap Reality
So why did Cleveland open the vault for Mitchell, their best player, who's still 29? Simple, they were in a seriously tight spot. Mitchell held all the cards, and the last thing the organization needed was for him to decline his player option and hit free agency in 2027. Keeping him in Northeast Ohio was clearly a top priority, no doubt about it. But Cavs general manager Koby Altman has danced this costly tango before. Remember Kevin Love? After LeBron James bounced to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, Cleveland shelled out a four-year, $120 million extension for Love. He then battled injuries over the next few seasons, his trade value evaporated, and they ended up buying him out after the 2023 deadline. Talk about a bad gamble! Back in the day, paying north of $70 million for a star might have been seen as just the cost of doing business, but with the new second apron, front offices are super wary of dishing out max or supermax salaries. Even San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is reportedly structuring his max contract to save them money. That's how tight things are getting across the league! This extension is a massive gamble for Cleveland. If Mitchell goes on to help the Cavaliers win a title, sure, it'll all be worth it. But it's just as easy to see them hitting that same old playoff wall, stuck without serious roster improvements because Mitchell's massive cap hit eats up everything. You gotta wonder which way this one goes.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.