4. 76ers trade for Donovan Mitchell
The Cavaliers will offer the five-time All-Star guard a max extension this summer, and his response will shape the future of the franchise. Mitchell will have one year plus a player option left on his contract. Cleveland cannot afford to see him hit free agency, so they will start shopping him if he declines their extension.
Spider is projected to be the best player available. The Cavs gave up Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, Ochai Agbaji, three first-round draft selections, and two first-round pick swaps to get Mitchell. They hope for a massive haul in return, and there will be no shortage of suitors if Mitchell hits the block.
The 76ers may not have enough to win the bidding war, which makes this take even hotter. They will have four first-round picks to trade plus two swaps. Philadelphia does not have the players. The Cavaliers have Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. They want to stay in contention and will likely favor a package of players and draft capital to further improve their roster.
Daryl Morey and the Sixers will make their best offer for Donovan Mitchell if he becomes available. They could trade for him, but it won’t come cheap. Philadelphia may take a different route in landing a superstar.