The defensive-oriented Miami Heat and defensive-minded guard Davion Mitchell believe that they are the perfect complement for one other. Mitchell, who began the season with the Toronto Raptors before being dealt to the Heat on February 6 as part of the Jimmy Butler trade, stated, “It’s an amazing fit.” “It seems like I didn’t have to do anything at all with everything they do and everything they’re about. I feel as though I am merely present. I have a sense of freedom. In order to prolong their relationship, the Heat and Mitchell will now see if they can reach an agreement on a new contract in free agency this offseason.
Before Mitchell becomes a restricted free agent on June 29, the Heat are anticipated to make him a qualifying offer of $8.7 million. This will allow Miami to match outside offers in free agency and keep Mitchell. Mitchell would become an unrestricted free agency this offseason and Miami would no longer have the ability to match outside offers if the Heat were to decline that qualifying offer. Mitchell may return to the Heat on the one-year, $8.7 million qualifying offer that Miami is set to issue to him in the coming weeks.
However, given Mitchell’s impressive season finale with the Heat, it is more possible that he would sign an offer sheet with another team when free agency opens on July 1. This would put pressure on Miami to decide how much it is ready to pay to retain him. After that, the Heat would have a few days to determine if they would accept that offer to sign Mitchell again. In free agency this summer, Mitchell could also just agree to a new deal with the Heat for any duration and any value. Mitchell’s Bird rights are held by Miami, thus even though the Heat are already over the cap, they may still go over it to re-sign him at his highest salary.
When asked about his upcoming free agency on the day of his exit interview in late April, Mitchell responded, “I mean, I haven’t really thought about it or talked about it with my representation.” We’ll have plenty of time to discuss it over the long summer, in my opinion. And I’ll be ready for that when we do. But since I’ve never encountered this circumstance before, I’m not really sure as of yet. I’m only awaiting a conversation with my agency. After making an impression after the February trade to Miami, Mitchell, who turns 27 on September 5th, is anticipated to receive the largest contract of his NBA career.
After being selected with the ninth overall pick in 2021, Mitchell earned $6.5 million in the final year of his rookie-scale deal last season. This summer, he may receive offers in the $14 million full midlevel exception bracket. In 30 regular-season games (15 starts), Mitchell shot 50.4% from the field and 44.7% on 3.1 three-point attempts per game after joining the Heat on February 6. He averaged 10.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, which was arguably the best run of his NBA career. Mitchell only had a 6.3 average.
Before being traded to the Heat this season, he played 44 games for the Raptors, averaging points, 1.9 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game while shooting 43.4% from the field and 35.9% from three-point range. In overtime of the Heat’s playoff-clinching victory over the Atlanta Hawks in the play-in tournament on April 18, Mitchell scored nine points on three of four three-point attempts, carrying that late-season energy into the postseason. “Just be yourself,” Coach Spo told me on the first day. You should be who you are. Go out there defensively and offensively and play your game.
Mitchell explained his success with the Heat by saying, “Involve your teammates.” “I’ve been doing these things ever since I started playing basketball, and I had the chance to do them here. I didn’t really get the chance to visit the sites I have been before. I could understand it because I was playing with many talented guys. However, I feel like I fit right in here. I believe I met their needs by being a defensive presence, opening doors for teammates, and generally making my teammates’ lives easier.
Mitchell’s efficient outside shooting with the Heat proved to be a revelation, as he entered this past season as a 32.7 percent three-point shooter over his first three NBA seasons. That reputation led to opponents consistently leaving Mitchell open from three-point range, but he took advantage by shooting 37 of 76 (48.7%) on wide open threes (defined by the NBA as when the closest defender is more than six feet away) with the Heat this past regular season.
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