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Heat makes Davion Mitchell contract move ahead of free agency
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- Heat makes Davion Mitchell contract move ahead of free agency
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The post Heat makes Davion Mitchell contract move ahead of free agency appeared first on ClutchPoints .
As the Miami Heat enter a critical offseason filled with major decisions to make, one of the potential objectives was trading for Kevin Durant , but while the team was a finalist, the Houston Rockets would win the sweepstakes. Looking at other lateral moves, Heat breakout star Davion Mitchell could be at risk in going to another team, but the team would make a decision Tuesday that would make it easier to keep him.
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Miami has extended a $8.7 million qualifying offer for the 2025-26 season, which in effect makes him a restricted free agent , according to Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. This move also means that the team will be able to match any offer from another team in free agency.
If the franchise didn't exercise the option, the team would lose the power to retain him, and Mitchell could take any offer. In regards to other players, Dru Smith would get a two-way qualifying offer, the Heat picked up Keshad Johnson 's team option, but wouldn't give a qualifying offer to Isaiah Stevens .
"The Heat have extended the required $8.7M '25-26 qualifying offer to Davion Mitchell to make him restricted free agent," Winderman wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "They also have extended a two-way qualifying offer to Dru Smith. No similar offer to Isaiah Stevens. Only decision remaining by Sunday deadline is Duncan Robinson 's player option."
The different avenues Heat's Davion Mitchell can take
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There's no doubt that Mitchell impressed with the Heat this season as he was a part of the multi-team trade that sent Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors . Mitchell became a key player either in the starting lineup or off the bench, providing defensive intensity and point guard skills to help Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo .
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Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald would run down the avenues Mitchell could go in, which is either just accepting the offer Miami gave him or likely testing the waters to get more money.
"Mitchell can return to the Heat on the one-year, $8.7 million qualifying offer that Miami extended him," Chiang wrote. "But the more likely scenario after Mitchell's strong finish to this past season with the Heat is for him to sign an offer sheet with another team when free agency begins next week, putting pressure on Miami to make a decision on how far it's willing to go to keep him. The Heat would then have a few days to decide whether it will match that offer to re-sign Mitchell."
"Mitchell could also simply negotiate a new contract with the Heat for any length and any amount in free agency this summer," Chiang continued. "Miami holds Mitchell's Bird rights, which allow the Heat to exceed the salary cap to re-sign him up to his maximum salary despite already being over the cap."
It remains to be seen what happens to Mitchell as the qualifying offer beats a deadline on Sunday, where the league-wide free agent negotiations happen.
Related: NBA rumors: Lakers check in with Heat on Andrew Wiggins trade
Related: Heat rumors: This Miami star 'available' after failed Kevin Durant pursuit
