Should Cleveland Cavaliers trade Donovan Mitchell for LeBron James and draft Bronny James?

With the rumors that Donovan Mitchell is looking to move on this coming offseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers could orchestrate one of the biggest homecomings by trading him for LeBron James.

This becomes even more appealing as a storybook ending to LeBron's career when you consider the fact that the Cavs can draft Bronny James so he can begin his career the same way his father did.

Before we dive into whether the Cavs front office should pull off this move, let's look at the facts.

Mitchell's refusal to sign a contract extension with Cleveland is again dominating the headlines. This comes after Mitchell's response to the Cavs' expressing confidence that they will reach a deal eventually.

This isn't the first time Mitchell declined to sign a contract extension with Cleveland. As such, the concerns and the rumors that he could move on this offseason are growing. However, Mitchell isn't becoming a free agent this summer. He remains under contract for the 2024-25 season and has a player option for 2025-26.

On the other hand, LeBron James' desire to play with his son is well-known around the league. If the Cavs want to bring LeBron home, they'll need to consider drafting his son, and they'll need to do it while he is still able to produce at a high level.

There are two things to consider when trading Mitchell: everything that the Cavs gave up for him and the fact that he is the team's leading scorer. Statistics-wise, LeBron remains a better all-around player compared to Mitchell. However, LeBron isn't going to benefit Cleveland beyond his playing days, and even the four-time MVP himself has acknowledged that those are numbered.

LeBron alone isn't a good enough return, especially since the Cavs don't have a first-round pick from 2025 to 2029. They might not even have a second-round pick in the upcoming draft since their only second-rounder is a heavily protected pick from the Golden State Warriors.

Even if they were able to secure a second-rounder to pick up Bronny James with, he isn't an appealing enough prospect to justify trading their best offensive weapon.

The truth is the Cleveland Cavaliers could trade Donovan Mitchell for a younger player of a similar caliber. The trade market doesn't look promising right now, but some teams might be open to a change once the postseason culminates.

Trading for LeBron James in exchange for Mitchell and then drafting Bronny James could hurt the Cavs in the future. While it sounds like the perfect storybook scenario for LeBron and his son, it isn't a beneficial move for the parties involved.

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Who could the Cleveland Cavaliers trade Donovan Mitchell for?

If the rumors are true and Donovan Mitchell wants out of the Cavaliers roster, the front office would be wise to field calls from other teams.

A package around Jerami Grant and Malcolm Brogdon of the Portland Trail Blazers could be arranged. The Sacramento Kings might be willing to retool around Domantas Sabonis and De'Aaron Fox by sending Harrison Barnes along with a few other pieces to the Cavs in exchange for Mitchell.

The Cavaliers could even broaden their search by looking for multi-team trades. They could try to build up their collection of first-round picks instead of looking for another star.

Losing Mitchell doesn't mean they have to rebuild completely. They have Darius Garland, who already has one All-Star selection and Evan Mobley, who could rise to become a star next to Garland.

The Cavaliers could use Mitchell's rumored desire to leave to propel them forward with the right moves, and that doesn't have to involve LeBron James.