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ATLANTA – Considering he is not one for modest goals, the impending free agency of Davion Mitchell certainly will be intriguing for the Miami Heat.
When it comes to the anticipated next step in his career, the guard acquired at the Feb. 8 NBA trading deadline from the Toronto Raptors in the Jimmy Butler deal pulls no punches,
“For me,” he said by his locker, in the most confident of voices, “it’s just to be the best defensive guard ever to play this game. That’s my mindset.”
For now, the thought process regarding his price point is likely far more modest. In order to retain the right to match outside offers, the Heat by the end of June have to extend a one-year qualifying offer of $8.7 million for next season to make Mitchell a restricted free agent.
While the price point on the open market might be steeper, a multiyear Mitchell offer from an outside team also could put the Heat back in the luxury tax next season and impact the team’s ability to mass cap space for seasons beyond.
According to one industry insider with NBA front-office experience, the start of Mitchell’s next contract should fall in line with the price point of the qualifying offer, with a reasonable expectation for Mitchell of something in the range of a three-year, $30 million contract.
Undeniable is that a player cast aside by the Sacramento Kings last June and then by the Raptors in February has finally established an NBA foothold, a prime component of the rotation of Erik Spoelstra as the Heat headed into Friday night’s play-in game against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena.
To Mitchell, what started with an increased canvas in Toronto allowed him to further flourish due his time with the Heat.
“I’ve shown it this whole year,” he said of this fourth-season breakout. “With Toronto I was able to showcase some of the things I can do. I think that’s the reason why Miami traded for me. They can see what I can do. They can see what I do for this culture and I fit right in.”
During his two-plus months with the Heat, the pitbull approach to defense has won over teammates and coaches. The upgrade with his 3-point shooting didn’t hurt, either.
All the while, he said it never was with an eye toward necessarily cashing in during free agency.
“Nah, not really,” he said ahead of Friday night’s game. “For me, I just try to take one game at a time, waiting for when the season is over, kind of talk to my agents after that.
“It’s been, don’t even talk to me about that right now. It’s been just going out there and playing and everything will work itself out no matter what. So no worries.”
After 13 starts the previous two seasons, 37 followed this season for Mitchell. including 15 with the Heat.
“Starter or not starter, I don’t really worry about that,” he said of his potential future role. “I kind of just go out there and try to play as hard as I can and let everything really work out for itself.”
With his contract dumped by both the Kings and Raptors there were questions of whether there could or would be an NBA foothold ahead of free agency. With the Heat, those doubts were answered.
“I never really questioned anyone’s purposes,” he said of being discarded by Sacramento and Toronto. “I think, for me, it’s just timing, and the time that I was in Sacramento and the time that I was in Toronto just kind of led me to here. I don’t really look at why, because I can’t really control that. So just go out there and keep doing what I’m doing.”
So might there be, say, a hometown discount to make this work going forward in Miami?
“To play basketball in Miami, it’s a blessing,” he said with a smile. “I love being here. It’s a spot I come to during the summer, so I’m familiar with it and I got a lot of people out here that I know.”
Continue reading...
When it comes to the anticipated next step in his career, the guard acquired at the Feb. 8 NBA trading deadline from the Toronto Raptors in the Jimmy Butler deal pulls no punches,
“For me,” he said by his locker, in the most confident of voices, “it’s just to be the best defensive guard ever to play this game. That’s my mindset.”
For now, the thought process regarding his price point is likely far more modest. In order to retain the right to match outside offers, the Heat by the end of June have to extend a one-year qualifying offer of $8.7 million for next season to make Mitchell a restricted free agent.
While the price point on the open market might be steeper, a multiyear Mitchell offer from an outside team also could put the Heat back in the luxury tax next season and impact the team’s ability to mass cap space for seasons beyond.
According to one industry insider with NBA front-office experience, the start of Mitchell’s next contract should fall in line with the price point of the qualifying offer, with a reasonable expectation for Mitchell of something in the range of a three-year, $30 million contract.
Undeniable is that a player cast aside by the Sacramento Kings last June and then by the Raptors in February has finally established an NBA foothold, a prime component of the rotation of Erik Spoelstra as the Heat headed into Friday night’s play-in game against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena.
To Mitchell, what started with an increased canvas in Toronto allowed him to further flourish due his time with the Heat.
“I’ve shown it this whole year,” he said of this fourth-season breakout. “With Toronto I was able to showcase some of the things I can do. I think that’s the reason why Miami traded for me. They can see what I can do. They can see what I do for this culture and I fit right in.”
During his two-plus months with the Heat, the pitbull approach to defense has won over teammates and coaches. The upgrade with his 3-point shooting didn’t hurt, either.
All the while, he said it never was with an eye toward necessarily cashing in during free agency.
“Nah, not really,” he said ahead of Friday night’s game. “For me, I just try to take one game at a time, waiting for when the season is over, kind of talk to my agents after that.
“It’s been, don’t even talk to me about that right now. It’s been just going out there and playing and everything will work itself out no matter what. So no worries.”
After 13 starts the previous two seasons, 37 followed this season for Mitchell. including 15 with the Heat.
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“Starter or not starter, I don’t really worry about that,” he said of his potential future role. “I kind of just go out there and try to play as hard as I can and let everything really work out for itself.”
With his contract dumped by both the Kings and Raptors there were questions of whether there could or would be an NBA foothold ahead of free agency. With the Heat, those doubts were answered.
“I never really questioned anyone’s purposes,” he said of being discarded by Sacramento and Toronto. “I think, for me, it’s just timing, and the time that I was in Sacramento and the time that I was in Toronto just kind of led me to here. I don’t really look at why, because I can’t really control that. So just go out there and keep doing what I’m doing.”
So might there be, say, a hometown discount to make this work going forward in Miami?
“To play basketball in Miami, it’s a blessing,” he said with a smile. “I love being here. It’s a spot I come to during the summer, so I’m familiar with it and I got a lot of people out here that I know.”
Continue reading...
