NBA Rumors: Insider reveals 3x All-Star could be available for a trade "at some point" in offseason
While the NBA community is primarily focused on what will happen to Kevin Durant, there are other situations that still need to be monitored. Atop the list of teams that could see some major changes are the Utah Jazz.
Similar to the Brooklyn Nets, the Jazz are in the midst of a major shake-up after years of falling short of expectations. The NBA has built a reputation of star players bouncing around, and multiple could be on the move this summer.
The first domino to fall for Utah was trading Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a haul of draft picks and young players. With his running mate now gone, several front offices could zero in on All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell.
The 25-year-old is fresh off posting averages of 25.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game last season for the Jazz.
Currently, Utah has no intentions of trading away Mitchell. However, NBA insider Brian Windhorst mentioned that he could become available at some point later this offseason during a recent appearance on ESPN.
"While they still want to build around Donovan Mitchell, he is not untouchable. That is what league executives believe. He is not currently on the market, but at some point they believe he will be."
NBA executives believe Donovan Mitchell will be available for trade “at some point,” per @WindhorstESPN https://t.co/HLqcGOtnxt
The NBA landscape could look very different in 2023
It's rare for the NBA to see multiple drastic changes in one summer, but that just might happen in the coming months.
The Durant sweepstakes and Mitchell potentially being made available at some point will undoubtedly dominate headlines. Those trades, coupled with the possibility of other stars switching teams, could see the formation of multiple new superteams before the regular season begins.
Teams have been unwilling to meet the Nets' asking price for Kevin Durant, per @windhorstespn.
KD's value "may not be as high as the Nets wanted" https://t.co/uRHm1k5dWW
Due to the skewed timeline from the pandemic, there have been countless injuries to star players. With things back in order now, there will also be teams returning to form after going long periods without their star players. The LA Clippers and the Denver Nuggets are the top teams in this category.
The NBA is a league that is never short on storylines, and instances like this are why. Even in the middle of the offseason, professional basketball remains one of the hottest topics of conversation in sports.
Based on how things have shaped up to this point, it's fair to assume the league will look very different in the coming months. Durant and Mitchell might be two of the bigger names, but there are also guys like Kyrie Irving to watch out for.
By the time October gets here, a plethora of stars might find themselves in new threads.