NBA Rumors: 3x All-Star likely to sign outside and move away from the Utah Jazz at the first available opportunity
Utah Jazz All-Star Donovan Mitchell has been the subject of trade talks all summer long as the Jazz are seemingly entering a rebuilding phase. The franchise has already moved on from Rudy Gobert and Royce O'Neale. Donovan Mitchell could be next in line.
According to The Salt Lake Tribune's Andy Larsen, the three-time All-Star might be looking to jump ship at the first available possibility. Mitchell is tied down to a contract with the Jazz until 2025 when he has a player option ahead of the 2025-26 season. He could reject this option and become an unrestricted free agent.
"The overwhelming feeling among league insiders is that Mitchell is likely to sign outside of Utah at the first available opportunity in 2025. There’s a sense that many in Mitchell’s team would prefer he play in a larger market than Utah. Such a market would likely earn him a bigger profile, and perhaps more money, from sponsors," Larsen wrote
As aforementioned, Donovan Mitchell is under contract with the Jazz until at least the summer of 2025. He signed a five-year extension with the Jazz worth $163 million ahead of the 2021-22 season. However, it should be noted that the player option for Mitchell is worth over $37 million. The number may be high enough for Mitchell to opt-in.
The overwhelming feeling among league insiders is that Donovan Mitchell is likely to sign outside of Utah at the first available opportunity in 2025, per @andyblarsen https://t.co/sO7Sbsn2H5
Could Utah Jazz lose Donovan Mitchell before 2025?
The likelihood of Donovan Mitchell leaving the Utah Jazz this summer is as high as it has ever been. The three-time All-Star finished the season averaging 25.9 points, 5.3 assists and 4.2 rebounds. He shot the ball better than 44% from the field and over 35% from beyond the arc. So, there won't be any shortage of suitors for the guard.
The New York Knicks and the Miami Heat are two teams that have emerged as frontrunners in the chase for Mitchell. Since the three-time All-Star is under contract for the next couple of years, a trade is the only way to acquire him.
Players with more 50-point playoff games than Donovan Mitchell:
Michael Jordan
Wilt Chamberlain
Allen Iverson
That’s it. https://t.co/1dVJmUCtW6
Given the inflated market due to the Rudy Gobert trade, the Utah Jazz are likely to demand the farm for their superstar guard. It has been reported that Jazz CEO Danny Ainge does not see Mitchell as a franchise player. This perception could help reduce the asking price for him.
Donovan Mitchell is exactly what the Knicks need. He can score at all three levels at an incredible rate. He is also good enough to be the corner piece of a franchise, something the New York Knicks desperately need. The New York Knicks have tradeable assets like RJ Barrett and Julius Randle. Perhaps one of those players paired with several draft picks could entice the Jazz into making a trade.