With All-NBA big man Rudy Gobert officially off the team, many believe it will be young stud Donovan Mitchell who gets traded next.
As a young and exciting star on the rise, Mitch has the chance to command an even bigger return than his co-star did, which could ultimately leave Utah with a horde of draft picks and other future assets.
Apparently, the Jazz could be rolling with another plan instead: to keep Mitchell around and retool the roster around him with whoever they can get this offseason. It’s a plan that allows Utah to keep their franchise player and restructure the makeup of their team.
T Jones, who is plugged in out in Utah, says the Jazz are not planning to trade Donovan Mitchell and are "committed to building around him" https://t.co/f0rKtgRtld
— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) July 1, 2022
Mitchell is still young, and he has yet to make an official trade request. If he lets the Jazz do their thing for a few years, it could work out in the end.
But experts are still torn on if Donovan Mitchell would be willing to stay with the Jazz long-term.
The Jazz are contemplating breaking up the Mitchell-Rudy Gobert tandem that’s been a solid playoff entrant but not potent enough to get to a Western Conference Finals (per NBA insider Marc Berman). The Knicks — and several other teams — are monitoring Mitchell’s situation to see if he asks for a trade. Snyder said in a release the Jazz need “a new voice.’’
Mitchell, who is from Westchester, was noncommittal after the Jazz’s playoff ouster. League sources believe Mitchell eventually will request a trade, but it might not be until next summer.
No matter which way you slice it, there is reason to doubt Donovan’s future in Utah. There is a strong sense within the community that his split from the organization is inevitable, and it could happen much sooner than everything thinks.
But don’t count on the Jazz trading Mitchell right now. They still have control over the situation and could try building something around Mitchell before they blow it up completely.
