INDEPENDENCE — Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman doubled down on the optimism he has expressed about All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell signing a contract extension with Cleveland this summer .
Altman and new Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson attended Mitchell's " Spida Elite Camp" last weekend in Los Angeles . The camp featured some of the best young guards in the country, and Altman and Atkinson used the event as a vehicle to support Mitchell and hold discussions with him.
"We feel good about Donovan," Altman said Monday during Atkinson's introductory news conference . "He's in a great space mentally. He's healthy. He was out there with those young high school players, hooping in a really good space, really enjoyed the fact that him and Kenny could sit down and talk about the future, talk about the team.
"He is still under contract right now, so I think we can talk about him as a Cavalier. And so he's invested. He's really invested in what we're doing, and hopefully soon we'll have more of a decisive answer on [a contract extension] for you. But he's been great. He's been super involved and super collaborative and very, very much pro-Cleveland."
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Securing Mitchell long term is Cleveland's top priority this offseason, and an extension could be up to four years and worth $209 million. Mitchell is under contract for next season and has a $37 million player option for 2025-26.
Altman had previously conveyed confidence in Mitchell re-signing with the Cavs during a season wrap-up news conference on May 24 . A major development since then is the addition of Atkinson, whom the Cavs hired on June 24 to replace coach J.B. Bickerstaff .
"We had a great sit down," Atkinson said of his talk last weekend with Mitchell. "We also have a little bit of East Coast similar backgrounds. We didn't grow up far from each other really, if you think about it. So right off the bat, felt a great connection. Talked about more personal stuff, family, his family, my family. So it was really a great get-to-know-you session."
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Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cavs remain confident Donovan Mitchell will sign extension
