One of the biggest storylines of the offseason has been the rebuild of the Utah Jazz. The blockbuster trade of Rudy Gobert set the direction of the franchise in motion and the Jazz appear to be shopping Donovan Mitchell as well. While many regard the New York Knicks as the surefire landing spot for the All-Star, there are still hurdles the two sides must clear. Each other franchise should be doing their best to field competitive offers and get in the mix to improve their roster.
One team that should be doing everything possible to add Mitchell is the Washington Wizards. The franchise locked up Bradley Beal to a long-term deal earlier this offseason but he is still in need of a true running mate. The franchise has not made it past the opening round of the playoffs since the 2016-17 season and is in need of a shakeup. Wasting the prime of Beal's career would be a major regret for the organization and striking a deal for Donovan Mitchell would ensure this was not the case. As the trade rumors continue to swirl, the franchise should be using a good portion of its assets to land the Jazz guard.
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Donovan Mitchell: The perfect trade Wizards must offer Jazz for All-Star guard
Wizards Get: Donovan Mitchell
Jazz Get: Johnny Davis, Deni Avdiji, Kristaps Porzingis, 2025 1st round pick, 2027 1st round pick, 2029 first round pick, 2026 1st round pick swap, 2028 1st round pick swap
This is a haul to give up but the deal will not occur any other way. The Jazz have made it clear that they are going to be patient in their approach surrounding the star guard. Trading Rudy Gobert to the Timberwolves for four first-round picks and two pick swaps set a high bar for what they will accept. While some of it is situational in the fit, Donovan Mitchell likely commands more on the open market. The Wizards do not hold any additional draft picks outside of their own, but can offer every other year which is appealing.
The Jazz are clearly heading toward a rebuild and looking to collect as many assets as possible. Johnny Davis is an intriguing prospect who was drafted 10th overall in the most recent draft. While he had a poor showing in the summer league, Davis still has exciting long-term potential. The Jazz would need to have some sort of interest in the 20-year-old for this deal to get done. Deni Avdiji is also an intriguing prospect who was drafted 9th overall in the 2020 draft. The 21-year-old has not had the best start to his career but has some intriguing qualities to his game. Including these two young prospects would give the Jazz some young prospects to kick off their rebuild. Kristaps Porzingis would be necessary to make the money work although a buyout should not be ruled out if this deal was to occur.
For the Wizards, this trade would be a necessary swing for the fences. The franchise is dancing in NBA purgatory where they have not been able to contend but also are too good to land a top draft pick. Bradley Beal has been extremely open with his desire to win with the franchise and his decision to sign a long-term deal should flip the organization into action. While they are not a seamless on-court fit, Donovan Mitchell would be far and away his best on-court pairing for Beal. Adding Mitchell and then finding the proper complementary pieces to surround them is the right route to make.
Washington has had some struggles in recent years but are not as far off as it may seem. A duo of Donovan Mitchell and Bradley Beal would provide impressive scoring and elevate them in a major way. While this trade empties the collection of young players in the future plans it is a win-now maneuver. Kyle Kuzma, Will Barton, and Monte Morris would be relied on as key members of the supporting cast moving forward.
The NBA offseason continues to be at a standstill. The Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell rumors have caused each team to wait for the fallout before resuming their roster construction. The Wizards achieved their number one goal of the offseason by giving Beal the long-term extension. However, they now must now do right by their superstar and find a star to pair him with that elevates their chances of contending. There are few available players who could make as major of an impact in this as Donovan Mitchell and the Wizards would be wise to jump at the opportunity.
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