The Cleveland Cavaliers' debacle in the Eastern Conference Finals (at the hands of the New York Knicks) could lead the Miami Heat back to Donovan Mitchell, a potential star target that would make him the perfect co-star next to Bam Adebayo.
If the Cavs end up getting swept in the conference finals, new questions about Mitchell's future in Cleveland will naturally arise. And if he's open to any type of change, the Heat will be high on the list of teams interested in the superstar guard.
Despite their pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Heat would have no other choice but to reconsider their offseason priorities if Mitchell became available. That's because, in a few ways, there are arguments to be made that a pursuit of Mitchell would make more sense than pursuing Giannis.
Donovan Mitchell would be a perfect co-star in Miami
First, Mitchell and Bam are just one year apart in age. Mitchell is 29, and Bam is 28. They also have a well-established relationship with one another. From a basketball perspective, this pairing makes even more sense.
Mitchell fits a lot of what the Heat are missing from a schematic point of view. Mitchell would give the Heat the alpha offensive star they've missed since Jimmy Butler left, and the natural playmaker at the lead guard position.
Mitchell would also be a great fit in the pick-and-roll next to Bam Adebayo, as they'd immediately become one of the most talented (and best-fitting) 1-2 punches in the Eastern Conference. Perhaps most importantly, you'd imagine that a trade for Mitchell would be less costly than one for Giannis.
That means the Heat would be able to get their co-star next to Bam without having to give up the farm, opening the door to an even greater path to building out a championship roster.
Could the Heat pry Donovan Mitchell out of Cleveland?
Of course, the big question is whether a path truly opens for the Heat to pry Mitchell out of Cleveland? That's difficult to say one way or another.
Mitchell still has one year on his contract, and even if he refuses to sign an extension with the Cavs, there's no guarantee they'll trade him. At that point, it'd probably be in their best interest, but it's far from a foregone conclusion.
Additionally, even if the Cavs moved to a point where they'd be willing to trade Mitchell, there's no guarantee the Heat would be able to emerge as the bidding favorites there either. Because of his age and durability, there's a case to be made that the trade market for Mitchell could be much more vast than it currently is for Giannis.
And for a team that doesn't have a plethora of assets, that would be another risky game for the Heat to play.
So much is at stake for the Cavs' future as they stare down a 3-0 series deficit in the Eastern Conference Finals, but none of those questions is bigger than Mitchell's future. And if there's any genuine doubt about that, the Heat stand to be one of the teams to benefit the most from it.
Despite finally breaking through to the conference finals, the Cavs' collapse against the Knicks could go a long way in leading the Heat back to the perfect co-star next to Bam this summer.
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