Free agent guard Davion Mitchell intends to re-sign with the Heat, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link), who hears from sources that Mitchell has agreed to a two-year, $24MM contract. The deal will be fully guaranteed, Charania adds.
The ninth overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft, Mitchell spent his first three seasons in Sacramento, where he earned a reputation as a tenacious perimeter defender but struggled to provide value on offense, averaging 7.4 points and 2.8 assists in 20.4 minutes per game across 227 outings, with a .434/.327/.703 shooting line.
However, Mitchell had a solid first half in 2024/25 after being traded from Sacramento to Toronto last summer, then took his game to another level down the stretch following another trade that sent him from the Raptors to the Heat.
The 26-year-old emerged as a full-time starter in Miami, averaging 10.3 points and 5.3 assists per game with a .504/.447/.702 shooting line in 30 regular season contests for the Heat. He was even better in the postseason, making 59.3% of his field goal attempts and 52.0% of his three-pointers with averages of 15.2 PPG and 6.5 APG in six play-in and playoff outings.
Mitchell also played his usual strong defense in 2024/25. As Charania notes (via Twitter), among players to contest at least 500 shots, Mitchell ranked in the top five in opposing field goal percentage as the contesting defender, per ESPN Research.
The Heat issued an $8.74MM qualifying offer to Mitchell earlier this week, making him a restricted free agent. The Heat would have had the right to match any offer sheet he signed with a rival team, but he directly negotiated with Miami instead, opting not to test the market.
Mitchell’s new contract means the Heat will likely have to waive Duncan Robinson or negotiate a new contract with him in order to avoid crossing the luxury tax line, tweets Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
Robinson has until Sunday to make a decision on an early termination option worth $19.9MM. If he opts in for 2025/26, his salary would be guaranteed for $9.9MM, so Miami could create $10MM in cap savings by waiving him (or more than that waiving him and using the stretch provision on his partial guarantee).
Mitchell was ranked 27th on our list of this year’s top 50 free agents.
Another reason be the Kings missed managed.
I like him a lot, especially when he doesn’t try too hard to be a DPOY, doesn’t overthink and plays measured.
Quality player, he went high in that very strong 2021 draft for a reason.
He’s perfect for the Heat! Fits their culture…. Hero, Mitchell, and the new kid they just drafted from Illinois can make a great 3 in the back court.. include Pelle Larson as a 4th defensive piece off the bench….HEY, I like the Heat… they need the kids to take a step forward to have a chance to be in the top 6 next year….OR at least make the playoffs…
Mitchell only started 15 gms for Heat. He avg 31 mins in 30 gms. Pit up decent stats. Considering its the first time he has started. Now with Kasparas here. He will be pushed. Which is good for team. Kasparas can learn a lot from Mitchell. Just makes Heat deeper. Wiggins has to wake up and play. Seems gis competing days are over at times. He is the key. To Heat being a good playoff team.
Great move. I am not sold on Herro or Kuminga. No way Herro is worth $50M a year. Trade him now! Get Kuminga, if possible.