No. 3: Donovan Mitchell
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been on fire recently, shooting up the Eastern Conference standings and absolutely demolishing any average-or-below team that comes into their crosshairs. Donovan Mitchell has been the centerpiece of their play, carrying the offense and playing most of his minutes at point guard int he absence of Darius Garland.
That success extinguished any talk of a Mitchell deal at the Trade Deadline, but it could certainly resurface this summer. Mitchell will be entering the final season of his contract in 2024-25 (he can exercise a player option to hit unrestricted free agency in 2025 offseason) and there isn't a reporter out there who would say anything other than that Mitchell is expected not to re-sign long-term in Cleveland.
If the Cavaliers have another poor playoff performance, those rumors will likely grow in intensity, and Cleveland will be forced to strongly consider trading Mitchell so that they don't lose him for nothing. Teams like the Brooklyn Nets, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers are all expected to make some level of play for Mitchell this summer. Could the Thunder join them?
Mitchell's fit with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is not ideal, but he has grown in his ability to play alongside another on-ball scorer and his shooting ability ensures he isn't entirely wasted playing off-ball. Opposing teams trying to stop SGA, Mitchell and Jalen Williams would certainly be overwhelmed; with a wing defender and Chet Holmgren in the other two slots the defense may be good enough not to fold.
It's an intriguing idea, but Mitchell is not a great fit, and Presti has enough time and assets to be patient looking for the perfect fit to add to the mix. Mitchell is also likely to want to be the No. 1 option on a team, understandably so, making him an obvious flight risk in free agency the following summer.