The Cavaliers' Donovan Mitchell has been connected to the Pistons in trade rumors, but his price tag should keep Detroit far away. Mitchell is currently on a contract making about $50 million per season and will likely seek a supermax extension this summer - which could balloon up to 4 years and $276 million. Even though the temptation to add a shot-creating shooting guard is strong for the Pistons, Mitchell will come at too high of a price for Detroit to pay.
Mitchell's next contract could doom his team
The Pistons may poke around at the Cavaliers to see what players are available for trade. After all, exploiting playoff meltdowns from contending teams can be one of the most efficient ways to build a good trade. But Cleveland has more desirable trade pieces than Mitchell simply due to his contract.
Of course, Mitchell isn't a bad player by any means. Even with an overall playoff record of 8-10 this year, he averaged 26 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists per game. His ability to create buckets out of nothing and hit outside shots would genuinely be game-changing for the Pistons, who are sorely lacking in those departments outside of Cade Cunningham.
However, Mitchell also has some glaring weaknesses that make it difficult for a team to build a contender with him at the helm. He's undersized at 6'2" so he becomes a defensive liability in the playoffs. He also lacks the vision and playmaking to get teammates involved consistently enough to fuel efficient offense against playoff defenses.
The Pistons can't afford to take on Mitchell
With these flaws considered, Mitchell's upcoming supermax extension could become a stain on a team's salary sheet by his later years. Mitchell is 29 years old now and could be coming up on 34 by the team his contract extension finishes paying out. With a game that's often reliant on athleticism and tough finishes as a small guard, he's unlikely to age well and maintain supermax production until then.
Detroit could actually be an ideal landing spot for him. Cade Cunningham's versatility as a defender, scorer and playmaker from the point guard spot can cover up some of Mitchell's weaknesses. And Mitchell can in turn help Cade move off the ball at times and have less defensive pressure on him.
But the financial side of acquiring Mitchell is too much of a posion pill to swallow. Considering that the Pistons will already be paying Cade himself on a supermax, along with upcoming expensive extensions for Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson, they can't afford to take on another huge contract. Unless Donovan Mitchell is willing to take a massive paycut, the Pistons must avoid him at all costs.
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