Donovan Mitchell is one of the best shooting guards in the league, showing that he can produce at a high level offensively. He was the primary offensive option on the Utah Jazz over the course of the 2021-22 season, averaging 25.9 PPG, 4.2 RPG, and 5.3 APG.
There has been a lot of trade speculation regarding Donovan Mitchell, as it was reported that the Utah Jazz are willing to listen to trade offers for the star shooting guard. There are definitely some teams that could use his offensive abilities. Here are the best possible destinations for Donovan Mitchell if the Utah Jazz were to trade him.
3. New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Donovan Mitchell
Utah Jazz Receive: CJ McCollum, Trey Murphy III, Jaxson Hayes, 2024 First-Round Pick (NOP), 2024 First-Round Pick (LAL), 2027 First-Round Pick (NOP), 2027 First Round-Pick (MIL), 2029 First-Round Pick (NOP)
While CJ McCollum is a fantastic veteran guard for the New Orleans Pelicans, the opportunity to get Donovan Mitchell would be hard to pass up. It was reported that the New Orleans Pelicans were reluctant to give up Brandon Ingram in a trade for Kevin Durant: what if they could get a star that wouldn’t require moving Brandon Ingram?
This trade would feature the Utah Jazz getting an insane amount of draft compensation and an elite shooter prospect in Trey Murphy III. They would also get athletic big man Jaxson Hayes. CJ McCollum’s contract would be included in this trade due to financial requirements.
This deal could be a good one for the Utah Jazz. Trey Murphy III and Jaxson Hayes both have a lot of potential, and they would get ample playing time to develop on the Utah Jazz. Trey Murphy III notably led all rookies in 3PT percentage this past season. The key for the Utah Jazz is the draft compensation, and there are some picks that could potentially be valuable, such as the 2024 Lakers pick and the 2027 Bucks pick. As for CJ McCollum, the Utah Jazz could potentially re-route him to a contending team to get more assets in a trade.
For the New Orleans Pelicans, this is about creating one of the best young big 3s in the league. A trio of Zion Williamson, Donovan Mitchell, and Brandon Ingram would absolutely compete for an NBA championship, and their window would likely be long due to each player’s relative youth. Mitchell is 25, Ingram is 24, and Williamson is 22. They would be a competing team for years to come, and adding Donovan Mitchell could mean plenty of sustainable success for the Pelicans.
2. Miami Heat
Miami Heat Receive: Donovan Mitchell
Utah Jazz Receive: Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Max Strus, Nikola Jovic, 2023 First-Round Pick (MIA), 2027 First-Round Pick (MIA), 2029 First-Round Pick (MIA)
The Miami Heat have long been linked to Donovan Mitchell, and this trade package could potentially be of interest to the Utah Jazz. The Jazz would get multiple young players, as well as some valuable draft compensation.
The centerpiece of this Miami Heat trade package would obviously be Tyler Herro, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year. He averaged 20.7 PPG, 5.0 RPG, and 4.0 APG for the Miami Heat this past season, and would be an amazing franchise pillar for the Utah Jazz. There are also two elite shooters included in this package. Duncan Robinson and Max Strus are both snipers from beyond the arc, and shooting is generally welcome on any team. The Heat would also send out Nikola Jovic, a solid center prospect. It must be noted that this trade cannot happen until August 1st when the rookie signing restriction expires and allows Nikola Jovic to be traded.
The draft compensation involved in this trade would feature two valuable picks from the Miami Heat. The 2027 and 2029 first-round picks would be conveyed after the Miami Heat’s championship window, and perhaps the Utah Jazz could draft some elite players with those picks.
For the Miami Heat, this trade would be done to get a consistent scoring threat on the roster outside of Jimmy Butler. They struggled offensively in the playoffs, with Jimmy Butler being their only consistent scorer. Donovan Mitchell would take some of the offensive load from Jimmy Butler in this scenario. Donovan Mitchell would help the Miami Heat get to the next level, and this would be a classic example of a consolidation trade for a contending franchise.
1. New York Knicks
New York Knicks Receive: Donovan Mitchell
Utah Jazz Receive: Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, Obi Toppin, Derrick Rose, 2023 First-Round Pick (NYK), 2024 First-Round Pick (NYK), 2025 First-Round Pick (MIL), 2026 First-Round Pick (NYK), 2029 First-Round Pick (NYK)
The New York Knicks have been lacking a top-tier star for a while, and this would get them one. Donovan Mitchell would immediately become the face of the Knicks, and he could potentially help the team attract other top-tier stars in future offseasons.
This trade would feature the New York Knicks giving up a lot of first-round picks, along with premier prospects Immanuel Quickley and Quentin Grimes. Quickley is a promising young combo guard with shot creation ability, while Grimes profiles as a 3 and D player that will be a good fit on any roster. They would also get athletic PF Obi Toppin in this scenario, and he has the potential to be a great complementary offensive player. The first-round picks would be all unprotected in theory, and there is no doubt that this is an amazing trade package for the Utah Jazz.
The New York Knicks would still have solid players surrounding Donovan Mitchell after this deal, such as RJ Barrett, Jalen Brunson, and Mitchell Robinson. They would also retain some draft capital to build their team around Donovan Mitchell. Overall, this trade would make the New York Knicks a much more competitive team, and whenever an opportunity comes up to add star power to the roster, it should be taken. The New York Knicks would be a perennial playoff team with Donovan Mitchell’s addition, and we’ll see if they are able to work out a deal with the Utah Jazz in the future.
