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Los Angeles Lakers Will Be ‘at the Front of the Line’ if Donovan Mitchell Forces Cleveland Cavaliers Trade

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Paolo Songco | Last updated 5/14/24

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James made an appearance in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Game 4 matchup against the Boston Celtics on Monday night. This has led to some wild speculation about a potential second homecoming for the four-time NBA champion as he navigates what will be a very intriguing offseason.

As it turns out, however, it may have been a fact-finding mission for LeBron as the Lakers are now being linked to a potential swoop for Cavs superstar Donovan Mitchell.

Los Angeles Lakers News: Donovan Mitchell Atop LA’s List

Unfortunately, LeBron wasn’t able to see Mitchell in action on Monday. This is after the five-time All-Star was forced to miss the game due to a troubling calf injury.

According to NBA insider Jason Lloyd of The Athletic, the Lakers will be closely monitoring Mitchell’s situation with the Cavs this summer:

“If Mitchell doesn’t sign an extension with Cleveland this summer, the Cavs will have to explore trade options — and one of the teams standing at the front of the line will be the Lakers. It’s possible, given Mitchell’s current condition with his calf, that he has already played his final game in a Cavs jersey,” Lloyd wrote.

Mitchell has two more years remaining on his current deal after this season, but the catch is that he has a player option for 2025-26. This only means that unless he signs an extension this summer, he could very well walk away from Cleveland next year as an unrestricted free agent.

That’s the last thing the Cavs want, so Mitchell might force Cleveland’s hand into trading him away this summer if he refuses to sign a long-term extension with the team.