Donovan Mitchell has been involved in trade rumors for much of the last three seasons, and those trade rumors haven't stopped as the Cleveland Cavaliers prepare for a playoff run.

Per The Athletic's Josh Robbins and Sam Amick, an anonymous NBA executive said the trade situation around Mitchell "is very real" and that teams will pursue him as soon as the offseason begins.

"That (Mitchell situation) is very real," the executive said. "Teams will definitely clear out a bunch of (assets) for him. We'll see. But if they face Boston in the second round, they'll probably lose. And yeah, that doesn't bode well (for his future in Cleveland)."

The Cavaliers begin their first-round matchup with the Orlando Magic on Saturday.

Though Mitchell seems integral for the Cavaliers to find success in the post-LeBron James era, the team could look in a different direction depending on how this postseason goes. The New York Knicks ended Cleveland's season in five games in the first round a year ago, and the pressure is on to get past the first round this year.

The Cavs have a manageable opponent in the Magic, but it's hard to imagine them making it past the second round as they'll likely run into the top-seeded Boston Celtics.

This season, Mitchell is averaging 26.6 points, 6.1 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game—career-highs in assists and rebounds. The backcourt of Mitchell and Darius Garland combined with a solid frontcourt duo of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley has thrived this year and should be enough to defeat a young Orlando team in the first round.

Mitchell is under contract through the next two seasons and will become a free agent in 2026, but based on the outlook from an NBA executive, he could be on his way out of Cleveland before then.

Mitchell is a valuable asset and is in the middle of his prime, so any trade that pulls him away from the Cavaliers would likely have to yield a big return.