Having arrived amid chaos, Davion Mitchell now with clarity with new Heat contract

MIAMI Davion Mitchell arrived amid the chaos.

Now he has clarity and hopes to provide the same for the Miami Heat.His free agency expedited with a two-year, $24 million agreement reached ahead of the leaguewide start of free agency, Mitchell formally signed that contract Monday in the Heats offices and then headed out Tuesday for autographs and photos at the Heats youth camps.Im excited, a little bit nervous, obviously, but excited just to be back, just to play here for the next two years, Mitchell said upon his signing.

I love the fan base, love the coaching staff, love everything that they do here in Miami.Tuesday he added, I just wanted to do what was best for me and my family, obviously.

But I wanted to be here.

I wanted to keep playing here.The 6-foot-2 guard arrived as part of the whirlwind that had the Heat shipping off Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors at the Feb.

6 trading deadline.

More precisely, Mitchell arrived a day after that trade had to be restructured, with Mitchell the plus-one component landing from the Toronto Raptors with the Heat instead of former Heat forward P.J.

Tucker.While the primary focus of the incoming package to the Heat was Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins and the No.

20 Warriors first-round pick the Heat utilized last month on Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis, it was Mitchell who made the biggest splash with his dogged defense and surprising 3-point accuracy.If not for his three overtime 3-pointers in the play-in victory over the Atlanta Hawks there would have been no Heat playoffs this past season.If not for his defensive deterrence, the Heat may not have regained their defensive stride after the team was wobbled by Butlers indifference prior to his parting.And if not for Mitchells bulldog approach, the free-agency payoff would not be salaries the next two seasons that are more than double what he has earned in any of his first four NBA seasons.Oh, and the weather, too.Im not a big fan of the cold, Mitchell said.

And where I was before, it was freezing.From his Heat arrival, Mitchell said he had the sense he was here to stay.Probably since after the first game, everybody said, you better sign back here, you better sign back here, he said, with the Heat releasing a video documenting his signing alongside Heat Senior Director of Basketball Operations Dave Beyer.

Ive been hearing it every day.While it was an uneven initial ride, with the Heat closing the regular season 37-45 and being blown out by the Cleveland Cavaliers by a record margin in the first round of the playoffs, Mitchell said he is looking forward to finally getting sustained continuity.After the trade deadline, we really didnt have that much time to practice, he said.

But now that we have a training camp together and just do activities together, I feel like well be more comfortable playing with one another, just being there for one another.

Well kind of know each other more and well just be a much better team, for sure.He added Tuesday, Its going to be good for me and just the team, just the chemistry that we can build.Related ArticlesDuncan Robinson thanks Heat on way out, with Pistons deal less than it appearedASK IRA: Is Kelel Wares performance in Heats summer league becoming concerning?Heat acquire Clippers Norman Powell in trade for Kyle Anderson, Kevin LoveA Heat deal for Beal now less likely in wake of Powell acquisitionASK IRA: Is leaning into youth another name for Heat tanking?And by camp the Heat will have a far greater sense of exactly what the reconfigured roster will look like.

Already, one player acquired in the Butler trade, forward Kyle Anderson, has been moved on in Mondays trade for Los Angeles Clippers guard Norman Powell.

And the status of Wiggins remains in doubt amid rumors about his future.But with his contract, and with the NBA rule barring trades before Dec.

15 of players signed in the offseason, Mitchell knows he will be there in camp, further settling into his third NBA stop after time with the Sacramento Kings and Toronto Raptors.Im super happy that the fans love me, he said, stoking that popularity to the degree of at one point strolling the streets of Miami in his Heat jersey.

I just try to go out there and just play as hard as I can.

I dont do nothing exciting, honestly.

I just go out there and play hard, and play hard for my team.So its just exciting that theyre actually paying attention and they actually know that hes playing really hard for our team.

So thats just an exciting feeling for sure.Now signed, sealed and delivered.Im just excited, he said, to be back here with this group of guys, with this coaching staff..

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