Sometimes in free agency, the best thing a team can do is retain its own players, and the Miami Heat have made a move to continue building a young core that can grow together.
Davion Mitchell and the Heat have agreed to a two-year deal worth $24 million total. Mitchell was acquired back in February after a trade with Toronto and actually played well down the stretch.
If he can maintain that pace, Miami might just have a backcourt rotation Heat fans can feel okay about.
Davion Mitchell to be with the Heat for two more seasons
After a solid rookie campaign where he averaged 11.5 points per game with the Sacramento Kings, the former national champion with Baylor and No. 9 pick in the 2021 draft saw his production dip.
His minutes went from 27 a game in 2021-22 to just 15 a game in 2023-24, and he was traded to Toronto in the 2024 offseason. His time with the Raptors didn't go much better, as he averaged just 6.3 points per game in 24 minutes before coming to Miami.
But in the vortex left behind by Jimmy Butler, Mitchell seemed to thrive with the Heat. In 30 games to close out the regular season, Mitchell shot north of 50% while averaging 10.3 points per game.
And in an otherwise forgettable playoff "run," Mitchell scored 15 or more points in five of Miami's six playoff games (counting the play-in games).
It's what makes his contract of $12 million a year, and what all of a sudden makes for a promising backcourt if he can continue that level of play.
Paired with Tyler Herro, Mitchell can morph into a valuable secondary scorer. But more importantly, the drafting of Kasparas Jakucionis all of a sudden gives Miami three distinct guards to work with.
Herro is still going to be the primary scorer, Mitchell is viewed as Miami's best on-ball defender, and Jakucionis can morph into a primary ball handler.
Now, with that trio, Miami can mix and match as needed. And while it isn't a trio that is going to win a title in 2025-26, it will keep the ship afloat and provide the Heat with a building block core to work with until it can land the final piece to make a deep run and return to the NBA Finals.