There haven’t been many positives from the 2024-25 Miami Heat season, which concludes in four days. But one of them has been guard Davion Mitchell, who was acquired ahead of February’s trade deadline in the five-team Jimmy Butler blockbuster that sent the six-time All-Star to the Golden State Warriors.
Mitchell, a former top-10 pick, will be a restricted free agent this offseason–the first time in his career entering free agency. According to Heat insider Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Heat are aiming to retain the 6-foot-2 guard, who’s started in 14 of his 27 games with Miami entering Wednesday.
“According to someone with direct knowledge, the Heat ideally would like to keep point guard Davion Mitchell, an impending restricted free agent who has thrived in a bench role recently after his February acquisition from Toronto,” Jackson wrote Tuesday. “Though everything is fluid, the Heat is operating under the belief that it likely will make Mitchell a $7.8 million qualifying offer that would be necessary for Miami to retain the right to match outside offers for the point guard this summer.Â
“Mitchell did not offer an opinion recently when asked if a multiyear deal is important to him.”
Mitchell, 26, is averaging 103 points, 2.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.3 steals in 32.2 minutes per game with the Heat. He is shooting 49.5 percent from the floor, including 45.3 percent from 3-point range–which would be a career high by nearly 10 percentage point over a full season–and 70.0 percent from the free-throw line.
Miami offering the qualifying offer is a requirement for restricted free agency. That doesn’t mean he would have to accept it. The $7.8 million qualifying offer would be on the Heat’s cap sheet until he signed a multi-year deal. In the off chance he did accept it, he would play the 2025-26 season under that salary and enter unrestricted free agency the following offseason.
The feisty guard is having the best season of his young career. He’s helped the Heat alleviate one of their biggest weaknesses: Point-of-attack defense. He is an excellent screen navigator, showing very good ability to get skinny around screens while maintaining his body position with great balance, foot speed and hip mobility.
Most importantly, Mitchell has the competitive, no-nonsense demeanor that the Heat organization has relished out of players over the past three-plus decades. It’s one of the many reasons why he should be re-signed. If you surround yourself with talented, like-minded individuals, you will have success as an organization. While he’s not without his flaws, Mitchell fits that to a T.
What would you be willing to offer the former No. 9 overall pick? Let us know in the comments!
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Match whatever offer he gets. I don’t think there will be too many teams with significant cap space this summer. As long as it’s an at-market deal, he’s definitely a fit for us long term. Rozier and Robinson come off the books after next year. Heat should be all in on developing young talent. It’s how we were able to trade for Jimmy Butler in the first place (Josh Richardson). Getting stars outright through free agency is all but dead now.
Hell yeah. His offensive game is evolving and improving and his defense is topnotch. .
31 other teams could use his services.few more pts hed be an all star type player.rc was right about him i made a to early of a judgement