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The Utah Jazz made a franchise-altering decision when they elected to trade Rudy Gobert to the Timberwolves. The massive collection of draft picks put the franchise in a better long-term position and brought up the question of what the plan is for Donovan Mitchell. While the Jazz publically have stated their intention to retool around Mitchell, there were growing whispers that may not entirely be the case. The decision to hire first-time head coach Will Hardy to a five-year deal fed into the theory that the Jazz may be set for a rebuild. These suspicions were confirmed as ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski gave a peek into the mindset of the organization on Tuesday.
After previously shutting down inquiries on moving All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell, rival teams say the Utah Jazz are showing a willingness to listen on possible trade scenarios, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 12, 2022
With Mitchell the newest name on the red-hot NBA trade market, there are sure to be interested teams. While keeping in mind the direction of the organization is heading towards a rebuild, let's look at the best possible potential trade options for Utah.
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Best Donovan Mitchell Trades For Jazz
Trade 1:
Jazz Get: RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickley, 2023 1st round pick (NYK), 2023 1st round pick (Dallas), 2025 1st round pick (NYK)
Knicks Get: Donovan Mitchell
The New York Knicks are (unsurprisingly) the team that seems to have the most interest in Donovan Mitchell. The franchise has made a variety of moves to set up the infrastructure to add this caliber of player and is waiting for the opportunity to pounce. Mitchell may be just the guy to motivate them to do so.
There is uncertainty on how intrigued the Jazz would be by using RJ Barrett as a centerpiece in the Mitchell trade. The 22-year-old has intriguing potential and has taken some steps forward in his development. Obi Toppin and Immanuel Quickley also are extremely young and full of potential. Making this deal and giving them some low-pressure minutes to truly evaluate how good they can be makes a lot of sense. The Knicks have nine first-round picks over the next five drafts and surely would have no problem moving some. Adding young talent and three first-rounders would be a win-win for Utah.
Trade 2:
Jazz Get: Nikola Jovic, Kyle Lowry, 2023 1st round pick, 2027 1st round pick, 2029 1st round pick
Heat Get: Donovan Mitchell
Another team that has been linked to Donovan Mitchell is the Miami Heat. With the franchise seemingly lacking some postseason firepower, this makes sense for the organization. While they are not as rich in draft picks, sacrificing three future first-rounders would still be a worthy gamble. Kyle Lowry would likely be a buyout candidate but is necessary to make the money work. It would be surprising if the Heat were unwilling to move on from him following his disappointing postseason last year. Nikola Jovic has also impressed greatly in the summer league and could be a potential building block in Utah moving forward.
It also should be noted that this trade cannot occur until 30 days after Jovic signed his rookie deal which occurred on July 2nd. Given that the Jazz are in no rush to make a deal happen, this is an easy hurdle to clear.
Trade 3:
Jazz Get: Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe, Nassir Little, 2025 1st round pick, 2018+ 2019 1st round Pick Swaps
Trail Blazers Get: Donovan Mitchell
While there has been so much talk about collecting draft picks, the Jazz are already fairly loaded. They currently possess three first-rounders in 2023, two in 2025, two in 2026, two in 2027, and two in 2029. While the mindset is that you can never have enough picks, Utah already has a pretty full closet of assets. Shaedon Sharpe is an intriguing young player with sky-high potential. Anfernee Simons showed some impressive flashes in the absence of Dame Lillard last season. Nassir Little is also an intriguing talent with a defined NBA role. Adding these three young players would accelerate Utah's rebuild a great deal.
The Trail Blazers are determined to build a winner around Dame Lillard and this would be their best chance of this. Donovan Mitchell would certainly be the best player Lillard has played alongside and would give the organization a fighting chance in the postseason. While their young talent would be difficult to part with, it is necessary trade for them to make. The Blazers' window to win is narrow and they must be sure to capitalize on this opportunity. It also should be noted that Simons cannot be traded until January 15th due to recently signing an extension.
There are certain to be a number of suitors in the potential Donovan Mitchell but expect the Jazz to remain patient. The franchise is sure to make the best long-term decision and almost certainly would be willing to let it drag into the season. Given the high bar the team set in what they demanded for Rudy Gobert, Utah will not be willing to accept a low-ball offer.
