The Cavaliers‘ season ended in disappointing fashion on Monday night, as the team couldn’t muster enough resistance to prevent the Knicks from completing a dominant four-game sweep. However, in the wake of that Game 4 loss, star guards Donovan Mitchell and James Harden didn’t sound like players who would be seeking a changed of scenery this summer.
“I love it here,” Mitchell told reporters (Twitter video link via Michael Scotto of HoopsHype). “I don’t know how else to say it.”
Mitchell, who advanced to the conference finals for the first time in his nine-year NBA career this spring, won’t be able to reach free agency this offseason, but he’ll be entering the final guaranteed year of his current contract and could sign an extension for up to four years. That deal would begin in 2027/28, replacing his player option for that season.
Although he didn’t outright commit to signing a new contract with the Cavaliers, Mitchell expressed confidence that the team remains capable of contending for a championship.
“I have no doubt that this group can get there,” Mitchell said, per Jamal Collier of ESPN. “I’ve said that all year. The biggest thing is you just use it as a learning lesson. It’s a tough learning lesson, but now we know. This team that we just faced had to go through this. Maybe not this way, but they’ve been together, they’ve been a core group and had to go through this tough experience. So, this is our turn.
“… I’m sorry for the city of Cleveland, for it to be like this in a sweep,” Mitchell added, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). “That’s ass. But I told y’all last year and I would say again, we’ll be back and we’ll be ready and we’ll be hungry and we’ll be locked in. The city deserves a ring and we’ve just got to keep going.”
As for Harden, the Cavaliers’ major mid-season acquisition holds a $42.3MM player option for 2026/27 that would become partially guaranteed for $13.3MM if he exercises it. Reporting earlier this month indicated that he’s more likely to decline that option and work out a new multiyear deal with the team.
It remains to be seen whether that’s still the plan after a disappointing Eastern Conference finals in which Harden averaged 16.0 points per game on .389/.179/.810 shooting and had more turnovers (17) than assists (12). However, he said on Monday that he “100%” wants and expects to return to Cleveland for next season.
“Definitely want to be here,” Harden said (Twitter video link via Scotto). “I think we found something. It’s tough. It’s not ending how we wanted to, but I think we found something.”
While Harden struggled against New York, Mitchell was among the members of the Cavs who were quick to point out that the team made a deeper postseason run this spring with the former MVP on the roster than it had during any of the past few seasons. Cleveland was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in 2023 and in the second round in 2024 and 2025.
“I hope he is back,” Mitchell said of Harden (Twitter link via Fedor). “He helped myself and this group get somewhere we have never been.”
The Cavaliers will hold Harden’s Bird rights, so they’ll face no cap or CBA restrictions if they want to negotiate a new contract with him. Still, the team will likely be wary of the cost of that deal. Cleveland had the highest payroll in the NBA this past season and was the only team to operate over the second tax apron. Outside of Harden, the team’s other six highest-paid players are all on guaranteed contracts for next season, so the cost of the roster will remain high, barring major changes.
Cavs are crazy if they even consider bringing Harden back. He’s a cancer in the locker room, plays zero defense and destroys their offense. They need to put versatile athletic people around Mitchell but until they get a coach that coach that cares about defense and demands effort it’s all a waste of money.
Harden will have to exercise husband option. Cleveland will regret trading Garland. They probably already do. My wife can tell Harden is toast.