According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Utah Jazz want to trade Donovan Mitchell in the very near future.
With Kevin Durant opting to stay with the Brooklyn Nets for this season, the biggest trade piece of the NBA offseason right now is undoubtedly Utah Jazz Donovan Mitchell. After the team traded Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves, they opened trade conversations for Mitchell. There was a pause in talks, but they have since been rekindled. So, when could a Mitchell trade actually happen.
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, those he has spoken to across the league feel that the Jazz not only want to trade Mitchell before the regular-season opener, but also before training camp. Windhorst said this on the “Brian Windhorst and the Hoop Collective” podcast.
Jazz motivated to trade Donovan Mitchell before training camp
“[Tim] MacMahon, you said I believe last week that you thought that the Jazz would make a Donovan Mitchell trade before the [regular season] opener,” Windhorst said, h/t Yahoo Sports. “And it sounds to me in talking to people around the league that the Jazz want to try to go even sooner than that. They want to go before training camp.
“… It does sound as I talk to folks in the league that the Jazz are trying to apply the gas here. To try to juice the offer, especially juice the offer from the New York Knicks.”
There have been updates recently regarding a potential trade of Mitchell.
The Jazz reportedly turned down a trade offer from the New York Knicks that featured Evan Fournier, Obi Toppin, salary, and two unprotected first-round draft picks. That, and the Jazz were reportedly asking for four unprotected first-round picks.
One team that was interested is out of contention for Mitchell. Ian Begley of SNY reported on Aug. 26 that the Cleveland Cavaliers have pulled themselves from trade negotiations for Mitchell. Additionally, Begley says that this trade is for the Knicks to lose, as no one can match their offer, even if RJ Barrett is not included in a deal.
The preseason officially begins in early October. Will Mitchell be on a new team? Or will he remain with the Jazz?