The Utah Jazz did a great job in the regular season, locking in 52 wins to earn the NBA's best record for the first time in franchise history. Things, however, didn't pan out for them in the NBA Playoffs, which is not an indication of their underperformance. Rather, it's a signal that they need to tweak their roster a bit to become a legitimate threat.
This is where Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers enter. The star guard's massive four-year, $196 million contract will kick off next season. Note that Lillard signed the deal two years ago. A lot of things have happened since then, which includes two consecutive first round exits. There's an expectation among fans and analysts that Lillard will soon request for a trade. Loyalty is great and all but Lillard probably wants to win at least one title. Heading to the Jazz may give him this opportunity.
Donovan Mitchell, Royce O'Neal, 2021 First Round Pick, 2022 Second Round Pick
Jazz fans may be scratching their heads: Why is the young Donovan Mitchell included in the trade? Isn't he supposed to be the team's franchise star for the long term? This is true but the reality is that for the Jazz to get their hands on Damian Lillard—one of the elites of the league—then they have to give one of their best players as well.
Many slammed Rudy Gobert for not performing up to par in the NBA Playoffs. They believe he was the main reason for the Jazz's early exit. However, a closer look at the game reveals that Mitchell might be the liability. The man can absolutely get to his spots and score. The concern is that he might be overdoing it. Or in other words, he may still possess that penchant for jacking up bad shots—the part of his game that's been considered questionable since his rookie season.
In Damian Lillard's nine-year NBA career, he's made it to the postseason eight times. The only dent in his career was in his rookie season which is understandable. Say all you want about the Trail Blazers' mediocre postseason campaigns. The fact of the matter is that Lillard has amassed tons of experience. He knows how opposing teams like to defend him. He has seen all types of defensive coverages. These are things that Mitchell has seen but has not yet learned how to adjust to.
Fitting into the team won't be a problem for Lillard. People are so used to seeing Lillard go on scoring outbursts. They forget that the man is a spectacular playmaker as well. Last season, he averaged 7.5 assists per game (second best in his career). He won't have to completely modify his game once he plays alongside scoring guards like Mike Conley Jr., Jordan Clarkson, and Joe Ingles.
The Jazz are still in a dilemma regarding Conley. There are rumors that the veteran guard is looking to take his talents elsewhere but the team wants him to stay. Only time will tell if the Jazz re-sign him or not. If he remains in the fold, he'll have no problem co-existing with Lillard as well. Lillard knows how to play with a fellow guard. In fact, Lillard may no longer have to create his own shots. Conley is known to be a fantastic facilitator. Damian Lillard can be more of a catch-and-shoot player which will give defenses all sorts of headaches.
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