Donovan Mitchell Traded To the Cavs: What it Means For Both Sides
Three time All-Star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell was traded from the Utah Jazz to the Cleveland Cavaliers Thursday afternoon. The Jazz brought back a haul of players and future draft picks. The package going to the Jazz includes Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, unprotected first rounders in 2025, 2027, 2029, and rights to swap picks in 2026 and 2028. When coupled with the haul Utah got back in the Rudy Gobert trade, the Jazz have acquired seven firsts and three first round pick swaps. In total, the Jazz now have thirteen first rounders through the 2029 season. The Jazz are officially in rebuild mode and now have one of the deepest piles of assets in the league. How will this trade work out for them, and how will it bolster the Cavs win now chances?
What It Means For Utah
Ever since the Utah Jazz lost in the first round of the NBA playoffs to the Dallas Mavericks, the fanbase and front office knew it was time for a change. The first domino to fall was the Rudy Gobert trade to Minnesota. Gobert, a defensive stalwart for the Jazz his whole career, averaged 2.1 BPG and 14.7 RPG for the Jazz last season. Gobert was scooped up for the steep price of Malik Beasley, Walker Kessler, Jared Vanderbilt, Patrick Beverly (traded later to Lakers), Leandro Bolmaro, and four first round picks. This trade was vital to setting the market and getting the deconstruction of a once stable core, off the ground. Utah obtained youth in the trade, while also gaining valuable grit to keep the team semi-competitive in the upcoming season.
The Mitchell trade completed the removal of the teams two anchors. Despite this, the Jazz aren’t done gaining assets yet. The team is still rostering valuable trade pieces in Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson, and Bojan Bogdanovic. Utah should be expected to trade off each piece in the coming weeks. Conley should receive an intriguing market. Conley only averaged 13.7 PPG and 5.3 APG last season, but will most likely still command interest from point guard needy teams going into the season. Conley is a great floor general, that can bring a veteran presence to any team he joins. PG Jordan Clarkson might have an even bigger market. Clarkson averaged 16 PPG coming off the bench last season and is only one year removed from a 6th Man of the Year Award. Clarkson is one of the most valuable bench pieces in the league, and will pull in a steep price for teams looking to have an instant boost to their bench. Clarkson could command upwards of two first round picks. Bojan Bogdanovic is the least valuable of the three pieces but he is certainly not a scrub. The wing averaged 18.1 PPG last season and his shooting has improved, even at the age of 33. Bogdanovic could be a steal for any team needing a perimeter shooting threat at the 3. The Jazz should be expecting possibly four more first round picks once these three are dealt. Utah is going young and pick heavy, presumably following the same model GM Danny Ainge used with the Boston Celtics during their 2010’s rebuild.
The Jazz did all they could to make things between Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert work. Unfortunately, a combination of a strong Western Conference and locker room disagreements killed what could’ve been a very effective duo. With payroll squeezing the neck of Utah, they were left with riding it out or starting fresh. I believe they were right to start out a new. It might be hard to face it, but Utah was never going to win with Rudy Gobert as the 2nd star. Gobert’s defensive abilities are impeccable, but his offense being limited to under the rim, held the team back in today’s modern NBA. Gobert will work fine as the 4th option on offense in Minnesota, but Utah clearly wasn’t set up for him. Mitchell on the other hand wasn’t going to stick around after Gobert left. Mitchell would have to endure at least three years of rebuilding for anything to materialize and even then, he was better off to go to a team ready to win a championship now. Mitchell found himself possibly falling into Damian Lillard’s role and said “I’m out”.
Utah should expect a pretty decent rebuild coming out of this. The Jazz are stock piled with picks and acquired two rookies, guard Ochai Abaji and center Walker Kessler, in both trades. Young defensive stud Jarred Vanderbilt should help them at the 4 and newly acquired guard Collin Sexton has been locked into a 4 year 72 million dollar contract. The Jazz won’t be amazing next season, but if Abaji and Kessler can develop well, with Sexton carrying the scoring for the team, the Jazz could be an interesting young team to watch. The Jazz should trot out Collin Sexton, Malik Beasley, Lauri Markkanen, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Walker Kessler as their starting five next season. I think the Jazz have handled these trades terrifically, and I can see them getting back to the playoffs 2–3 years down the line. I expect to see the Jazz, Thunder, and Rockets all competing for a title in the late 2020s.
What It Means For Cleveland
The Cleveland Cavaliers are officially NBA Finals contenders. Last season the Cavs finished as the nine seed, finishing with a 44–38 record. Cleveland took a massive step up as center Jarrett Allen and point guard Darius Garland both made the All-Star team. Garland was the star of the show averaging 21.7 PPG and 8.6 APG on a terrific 46.2% from the field. Allen held it down in the post next to star rookie Evan Mobley, averaging 16.1 PPG and 10.8 RPG, to go along with 1.3 BPG on the defensive side of the ball. Mobley could very well be an All-Star this coming season as well. Mobley averaged 15 PPG and 8.3 RPG, with an outstanding 1.7 BPG. The Cavs post is full of beasts on the offensive and defensive end. Darius Garland was able to utilize them well, but now Donovan Mitchell will now have a shot at being able to rely on big men in the post.
Mitchell brings shooting, passing, and defensive ability to the Cavs. Mitchell also brings deep playoff experience, something that is a rarity with the Cavaliers young core. Last season Mitchell averaged 25.9 PPG and 5.3 APG, along with 1.5 SPG. The Cavs hope Mitchell can be the reliable guard next to Darius Garland, that will be there to hit the shots that Garland simply can’t. Garland and Mitchell seem like they will fit perfectly together as Garland is happy to distribute and Mitchell also has the ability to give the ball up if Garland has an opportunity. What is often found when two elite guards are paired together, is that they both need the ball and can’t cooperate together. Garland and Mitchell won’t have this problem. Neither is overly ball dominant and I believe they are one of, if not the best, guard tandem in the league.
The Cavaliers will now be trotting out a starting five of Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Isaac Okoro, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. That’s four All-Star caliber players and a solid young wing in Isaac Okoro. Even with that incredible starting lineup, they still have plenty of power off the bench. The Cavs will have Caris LeVert, Kevin Love, Cedi Osman, Ricky Rubio, Rajon Rondo, and Moses Brown all off the bench. The Cavs are about eleven players deep and I don’t see them having much problems when a player goes down during the season. The addition of Mitchell gives the Cavs some legitimacy on what is already a stellar roster, and what should now be one of the deepest teams in the NBA. I wouldn’t be surprised if Mitchell, Garland, Mobley, and Allen all make the All-Star game next season. This team is ready to win now.
This trade has made the Eastern Conference an even tougher gauntlet. In my opinion the Cavs will now be in the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference. The Cavs should be in contention with the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, and Philadelphia 76ers. Cleveland will be able to beat Atlanta when Trae and Dejounte get mad at each other for having the ball and the Bulls will just be a regular season challenge for the Cavs. I can see the Cavs beating up on the Sixers as Cleveland is simply deeper now, and I can also see the Cavs beating an aging but tough Miami. I still give the edge to Boston and Milwaukee over the Cavs, but the Cavs have their advantages. Defensively I think the Cavs can now go hand and hand with the Celtics, while I think the Cavs bench can outplay both Boston and Milwaukee’s. I can easily see Cleveland sliding into the three seed in 2022–23. Cleveland isn’t messing around anymore and their ready to win now.
