NBA Rumors: Danny Ainge opines 3x All-Star is not good enough to be the face of a franchise
One of the premier executives in the NBA, Utah Jazz CEO Danny Ainge is tasked with running the franchise. He has already traded Rudy Gobert and received massive praise for the return he managed to get for the defensive stalwart.
According to Tim McMahon of ESPN, Ainge is reportedly not a big fan of Donovan Mitchell. He doesn't see the guard as a franchise player or someone you could build around and win the championship.
Appearing on Brian Windhorst's podcast The Hoops Collective, Tim McMahon said:
"The whispers around the league are that Danny Ainge is not convinced that Donovan Mitchell can be the face of a contending franchise."
Whether or not this means that Donovan Mitchell is on the trade block is unknown. Should a potential trade come to fruition for Mitchell, then the Jazz are well and truly heading into a rebuilding phase. That is especially after the sudden resignation of head coach Quinn Snyder and dishing out a five-year contract for rookie head coach Will Hardy.
New podcast. Looking at important details in new contracts for Ja Morant, Zion Williamson, Bradley Beal & others plus a look at Donovan Mitchell’s future (w/@espn_macmahon & @TimBontemps) spoti.fi/3yPHpye
Which NBA teams could trade for Donovan Mitchell?
With Rudy Gobert out the door, the Utah Jazz could very well be heading into the rebuilding phase. This means that they have another highly prized commodity in Donovan Mitchell. Trading him could help the franchise recoup a lot of draft picks and build for the future.
The two teams that have been constantly linked with a move to acquire Mitchell have been the Miami Heat and the New York Knicks. However, the former seemed primed to make a play for Kevin Durant. The latter just shelled out major dollars to sign Jalen Brunson as a free agent.
Donovan Mitchell has been a beast in Utah:
— 24/4/5
— 44/36/83%
— 3x All Star
Led the Jazz in playoff points every season of his career. https://t.co/ahvdUIO5HO
A deal for Mitchell will have to be a trade. The superstar guard has three years left on his deal ahead of the player-option for the 2025-26 season, which will earn him over $37 million. Going into the second year of his five-year, $163 million contract, should Mitchell earn an All-NBA selection, that figure will go north of $190 million.
The Atlanta Hawks were another team that could have been in play for Mitchell. But it is very unlikely after the acquisition of Dejounte Murray from the San Antonio Spurs. The same could be said about the Charlotte Hornets as they are in line to pay Miles Bridges in excess of $30million. However, that deal has been put on the backburner for now due to Bridges' court case.
Either way, there are fewer options for Donovan Mitchell around the NBA. There aren't many teams with cap space or the assets to acquire a bonafide superstar talent like Donovan Mitchell.