If the Miami Heat decide to shift gears this offseason and move off a potential pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo, don’t be surprised if Donovan Mitchell becomes the next big name on their radar. In fact, it would be more surprising if he wasn’t already in their sights.
Mitchell’s situation with the Cleveland Cavaliers is worth watching closely. He’s got one guaranteed year left on his deal before he can opt out following the 2026-27 season. That puts Cleveland in a familiar NBA crossroads-either lock him up long-term this summer or start weighing trade scenarios before the clock runs out.
And for Miami, that’s where things get interesting.
The Heat have long been linked to Mitchell, even before he landed in Cleveland. There’s a well-documented mutual interest-Mitchell has previously shown admiration for the Heat organization, and he shares a strong relationship with Bam Adebayo. That connection, combined with Miami’s need for a star to reignite its championship window, makes Mitchell a very real and very logical “Plan B” if Giannis proves to be out of reach.
Let’s be clear: Miami isn’t looking to hit the reset button. This is a franchise that’s always looking to retool, not rebuild.
And Mitchell, a dynamic scorer with playoff experience and a game tailor-made for the big stage, fits the timeline of their current core-especially Bam. He’s not a project.
He’s not a gamble. He’s a proven All-Star who could slot in and immediately elevate Miami’s ceiling.
The big question is just how aggressive the Heat are willing to be.
We’ve seen Miami swing big before. Sometimes it connects (Jimmy Butler), sometimes it doesn’t.
But Mitchell presents a more attainable target than Giannis, both in terms of trade cost and likelihood of availability. There’s already some smoke around the idea that Mitchell and the Cavs could be headed toward a mutual parting of ways.
If that door opens, the Heat are one of the few teams that can walk through it with both the assets and the urgency to make a deal happen.
And that’s a key piece here-the asset pool. By the time this offseason rolls around, Miami could be in a position to offer up to four first-round picks in a trade.
That’s a significant shift from recent years, when their limited draft capital made it tough to close the gap on superstar-level trades. Now, they’ve got the flexibility and the motivation to strike.
Would they send all four picks for Mitchell? Probably not. But the fact that they could gives them leverage they haven’t had in a while.
This isn’t about chasing a fantasy. It’s about recognizing where the Heat are, where they want to go, and who can help get them there. Giannis may be the dream, but Mitchell might just be the reality-and a very good one at that.
If Cleveland doesn’t lock him up, and if Mitchell is open to a new chapter, Miami should be ready. Because this time, they might finally have the pieces to land their guy.