Apr 18, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Miami Heat guard Davion Mitchell (45) reacts after the Heat defeat the Atlanta Hawks in overtime at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Maybe the Davion Mitchell trade wasn’t quite as savvy as it originally seemed.

The former Toronto Raptors guard has quickly become one of the most important players in Miami’s rotation, coming up clutch in back-to-back elimination games to keep the Heat’s season alive. After helping knock off Chicago on Wednesday, Mitchell buried three three-pointers in overtime on Friday to lift Miami past Atlanta and into the playoffs.

It wasn’t just timely shooting either.

Mitchell finished with 16 points, five assists, and three rebounds in 40 minutes while playing ferocious defense on Trae Young. He had just one point in the first half and only seven through regulation. But when the moment arrived in overtime, Mitchell stepped up.

“For him to struggle like that in the first half and have that kind of fourth quarter and overtime really speaks to his character,” Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters post-game. “He wears all of his emotions on his sleeve. I know how badly he wants this.”

Since arriving in Miami, Mitchell has carved out a real role for himself. He is averaging over 32 minutes a night, leads the Heat in fourth-quarter minutes since the trade deadline, and is shooting 44.7% from three-point range.

His overtime outburst helped make history for Miami, which became the first 10-seed to reach the playoffs under the current play-in format, doing so with two road wins in four days.

“This group has grown closer together from all these adversities, and Davion has given us that kind of passion,” Spoelstra told reporters.

Mitchell’s turnaround comes after Toronto opted to part ways with the 26-year-old, who had fallen out of the rotation in favor of rookie point guard Jamal Shead. The Raptors pivoted toward a rebuild and sent Mitchell to Miami for a 2026 second-round pick from the Lakers.

It was a reasonable move at the time. Mitchell didn’t have a clear role in Toronto and wasn’t likely to re-sign with the organization this summer. But now, just a few months later, Miami may have saved their season with their deadline deal as Mitchell continues to show he belongs.