Potential Donovan Mitchell Trades
Is Donovan Mitchell going to the Knicks or somewhere else?
Yet another star is on the NBA trade block.
This time it’s the young guard from Utah Jazz, Donovan Mitchell.
Unlike other players like Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Mitchell did not request a trade. Instead, it looks like the Jazz is ready to enter their rebuilding phase.
A package to acquire Donovan Mitchell may be hard to build, but for a team like the New York Knicks, with their numerous young players, adding the all-star shooting guard is most definitely a possibility. Here I will be giving potential trades that I could see happening surrounding Donovan Mitchell.
The New York Knicks
The Knicks are at the forefront of a potential Donovan Mitchell trade. Their are two different routes that they could take in order to make a suitable trade package.
Route #1: Keep RJ Barret and ship off Julius Randle along with other players
Julius Randle has the best contract to match Mitchell’s salary, making this trade much easier. In addition to Randle, I expect other young players such as Quickley and Reddish to come along to Utah. Although Knicks fans wouldn’t want to trade their spark plug point guard in Immanuel Quickley, it’s worth it to acquire a player like Donovan Mitchell.
Pairing up R.J. Barret and Mitchell would provide a lethal backcourt for years to come. However, I don’t see this team winning the championship in their first year, if the front office plays their cards right and drafts/trades for the right players they can easily become a top seed in the Eastern Conference.
Route #2: Trade RJ Barrett, pair up Mitchell with Julius Randle
Using Barrett instead of Randle in this trade allows the Knicks to keep more of their role players and build a more win-now team around Donovan Mitchell. Likewise, if I were the Jazz and was looking to rebuild I would take this trade. Getting an all-star level player in RJ Barrett, who is only 22 years old, allows the team to have a centerpiece that they can build around.
A potential 2023 starting lineup for the Knicks could look like: Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell, Cam Reddish, Julius Randle, and Mitchell Robinson. This team looks much better than the 2022 Jazz team and could contend for a deep playoff run. Their ceiling isn’t as high as teams like the Bucks or the Celtics, but I think that even making the playoffs would please Knicks fans.
The Miami Heat
The other team that is seen as a highly possible trade destination for Donovan Mitchell is the Miami Heat, who have already been in trade discussions for another star. Despite the rumors, it’s unlikely that Durant will get traded to the Heat. A more likely star who could be headed to South Beach is Donovan Mitchell, who has already built close relationships with many Heat players.
If Mitchell were to be traded to the Heat, the Jazz would most certainly want Tyler Herro in return. Getting a good young shooting guard in Herro would propel the Jazz’s rebuild along with the help of three future first round picks from the Heat. Kyle Lowry is also likely to be involved in this trade for salary reasons, but I expect his potential stay in Utah to be very short. If the Jazz can also trade Lowry for future assets, this trade would be well worth the risk for them.
Miami’s side of the deal is still a win for them. Their ceiling has been obviously shown, being close but not close enough to winning the championship. Getting Mitchell and forming a trio with Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler would make them instant title contenders (maybe even favorites). If I were the GM of the Heat I would do this deal in an instant even if it means sacrificing the next five years of our future. Winning a championship would outweigh all of the things that it took them to get there.
The Brooklyn Nets
According to Ian Begley of SNY the Nets have interest in trading for Donovan Mitchell. Although this may be unlikely, the Nets have one of the best trade packages that could be offered. With the trade request by Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving and the Nets would need some time to formulate a potential package for Mitchell, however.
This trade depends on whether or not the Brooklyn Nets are willing to trade Ben Simmons, who is arguably the best player the Jazz could get as return. Furthermore, Simmons is required to be in a trade for Mitchell because teams aren’t allowed to acquire players who are on their rookie max extensions from trade.
From the perspective of the Nets, this trade seems very fair. Giving up a player in Ben Simmons, who hasn’t played in over a year, but still has major value is worth it if the Nets still want to remain a solid team.
Adding on Cam Thomas along with 2 first-round picks makes this trade a little more lopsided, however. If Durant and Irving were traded, the Nets would be in rebuilding mode, and this trade would not help them in doing that.
From the Jazz’s perspective, however, this trade is something I would instantly accept. Getting a former All-NBA player along with Cam Thomas, a great young scorer, and future picks is a perfect package for a team looking to rebuild.
These are some potential trades I see happening for Donovan Mitchell. Let me know your opinions on these hypothetical deals in the comments.
