Donovan Mitchell is coming off quite an impressive season. He averaged 24.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and it’s pretty clear that he’s the kind of leader the Utah Jazz need going forward.
That’s why it wasn’t a surprise to see that the Jazz are planning to sign him to a max contract extension as soon as he hits free agency in mid-October, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Chris Haynes. Mitchell is expected to make around $170 million over 5 years ($34 million per year) in a deal that will make him one of the highest-paid players in the league.
Donovan Mitchell and the Jazz will finalize a max extension when free agency opens in mid-October, per @ChrisBHaynes pic.twitter.com/qX70WOycrp
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 2, 2020
This comes as a mere formality as the Jazz were by no means going to let their franchise player walk away to free agency, especially after the show he put in the first round of the playoffs vs. the Denver Nuggets.
Mitchell broke the record for most points scored in a first-round series with 254 (36.2 PPG) and also set the record for most three-pointers made in a playoff series with 33. However, his team blew a 3-1 lead to the Denver Nuggets despite two 50+ point games from him.
Now, the biggest question will be whether the Jazz are sold on the Mitchell-Rudy Gobert duo going forward, as there have been multiple reports that suggest that their relationship isn’t good and that Gobert feels like he should be more involved in the team’s offense.
If that’s the case, Utah may have a huge trade asset on their hands. Gobert is a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate and an elite rim protector that could come handily for several franchises, even if it’s just a one-year rental.
As for Mitchell, he keeps establishing himself as one of the most promising players in the league. Now, it’s time to get some rest and enjoy that well-deserved bag he got.
