Another Miami Heat guard becomes trade-eligible this week. (Mandatory Credit: Tomas Diniz Santos/Getty Images)
We’re still over three weeks away from the 2025-26 NBA Trade Deadline. 22 days, to be exact, but who’s counting?!
It’s officially that time of year, when trade rumors are flying all over the place like a flock of birds during a warm summer day. However, that doesn’t mean everyone is trade eligible.
In fact, there are a select few who aren’t trade eligible at all, such as Dallas’ P.J. Washington, Indiana’s Aaron Nesmith or Portland’s Toumani Camara, among others. But after north of 80 recently-signed free agents became eligible to sign in mid-December, there are more who become eligible to sign on Jan. 15 due to certain circumstances.
And that list includes one beloved Miami Heat guard.
(Mandatory Credit: Matthew Smith-Imagn Images)
Miami Heat guard Davion Mitchell becomes trade-eligible on Jan. 15:
Contract: Two years, $24 million
2025-26 Cap Hit: $11.6 million
For most players who sign during the offseason, they become trade eligible on Dec. 15. That was the case for Heat guard Dru Smith.
However, there are exceptions. The most popular one is a player re-signing with his current team — as an Early Bird or full Bird free agent — for at least 120 percent more than his previous salary. If that’s the case, it gets pushed back to Jan. 15.
In Mitchell’s case, he re-signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the Heat last offseason — more than twice the amount he was previously making during his rookie contract.
While Mitchell has continued to make strides as a passer, he hasn’t been as efficient or as aggressive offensively with Miami in 2025-26. Through 38 games, he’s averaging 9.1 points and a team-high 7.3 assists, shooting 47.8 percent from the floor and 39.8 percent from 3-point range.
He’s arguably the team’s best point-of-attack defender with his screen navigation and ability to pressure opposing ball-handlers at the point-of-attack. Mitchell, 27, is, as Bam Adebayo describes, the Heat’s “head of the snake.”
It remains to be seen if they consider moving him for that exact reason. At best, he likely functions best as a leader of second units — but the Heat’s questionable roster construction doesn’t quite make that palatable, right now.
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