The Cleveland Cavaliers reinforced their commitment to Donovan Mitchell by signing him to a four-year, $273 million maximum contract extension this week as they keep up their push for an NBA championship.
However, three-time NBA champion Danny Green believes Cleveland will truly need LeBron James to compete for the title.
Danny Green Says LeBron James Is the Missing Piece After Donovan Mitchell’s Record Extension
Mitchell committed to Cleveland as soon as he became eligible for a contract extension, even though he could have waited another year to secure an even larger deal.
Entering the final guaranteed season of his contract before a 2027 player option, he had the opportunity to delay negotiations until next summer, when he could have signed a five-year, $353 million extension worth roughly $80 million more, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Instead, Mitchell agreed to a new deal immediately, with an annual average salary of $68 million, edging past Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s $67.9 million yearly average with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
It is safe to say that the Cavaliers are rewarding a player who has consistently delivered on the court. The seven-time NBA All-Star averaged 27.9 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game this past season while leading Cleveland to its first conference finals appearance since 2018.
While the move is indeed what the Cavaliers needed, Green thinks the team now also needs James to win a championship.
“It’s going to take LeBron,” Green said in the latest episode of the “No Fouls Given” podcast on Wednesday. “Pretty simple. I mean, you get LeBron James.
“You get James in the postseason to play like we know James can play, you have a really good damn shot, like obviously Evan Mobley too, if he continues to grow, but they have a good setup. They have a good team. They have good pieces.”
Danny Green on what would it take for Donovan Mitchell to win a championship:
“It’s going to take LeBron. Pretty simple. I mean, you get LeBron James and you get James in the postseason to play like we know James can play, you have a really good damn shot, like obviously Evan… pic.twitter.com/2tAJjktf0O
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) July 8, 2026
A reunion with James would be a fitting conclusion to his legendary career, as Cleveland selected James with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, and he spent his first seven seasons with the franchise before returning in 2014.
In his second stint, he led the Cavaliers to their historic 2016 NBA championship before departing for the Los Angeles Lakers.
A third chapter in Cleveland for what would be his 24th NBA season could provide a memorable ending to James’ career. It will also be a great thing for the Cavaliers, as he is still durable and productive at 41, averaging 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds in 60 games during the 2025-26 season.
Mitchell is even reportedly on board with the possibility of bringing James back, according to Shams Charania.
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“I’m told Donovan Mitchell has been hands-on in his approach to work with the Cavs on roster upgrades, and that does include the pursuit of LeBron James,” Charania said on SportsCenter. “Donovan Mitchell has made it clear behind the scenes that he would embrace LeBron James coming in and joining him in Cleveland.”
The Cavaliers remain one of the leading teams in the race for James, with the Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, and Minnesota Timberwolves also seen as potential landing spots.
