NBA Trade Rumors: Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors amongst teams interested in 3x All-Star
The race to land Donovan Mitchell heats up as the Miami Heat continue to pursue the Utah Jazz All-Star alongside a whole host of other teams. The Jazz are reportedly shopping for Mitchell, with Danny Ainge keen to acquire draft capital for their best player.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Heat have their work cut out for them. The New York Knicks, Charlotte Hornets and the Washington Wizards all have interest in trading for Mitchell. But the Jazz have a steep asking price and are evaluating their options.
"Along with New York, several other teams have expressed interest to the Jazz when it comes to Mitchell, such as Washington, Miami, Toronto, Charlotte, Sacramento and Atlanta, according to sources.
"Like Brooklyn, the Jazz have held firm on setting a high bar on any potential Mitchell deal, and they expect to be patient throughout the process.
"For now, the Jazz will continue to evaluate incoming calls and seek ways to balance their roster," Charania wrote.
Shams Charania also said that Donovan Mitchell has not submitted a trade request but will not hesitate to do so. That is if he believes that the Jazz are heading into a rebuilding phase.
"Sources said the three-time NBA All-Star has not requested a trade or attempted to force his way out of Utah, but should the franchise move toward a full rebuild a competitor like Mitchell would prefer to be in an environment geared toward winning now, not later," Charania concluded.
Sources: The Boston Celtics have offered a Jaylen Brown package to the Nets for Kevin Durant, which Brooklyn turned down and countered.
Full details on a potential Celtics-Nets mega-deal to be had, latest on Donovan Mitchell and more at the Inside Pass: theathletic.com/3446562/2022/0…
Can the Miami Heat land Donovan Mitchell?
Donovan Mitchell finished the season averaging 25.9 points, 5.3 assists and 4.2 rebounds this season. He shot the ball better than 44% from the field and and over 35% from beyond the arc. He can score at all three levels at an incredible rate and is good enough to be the centerpiece of a franchise, something the Miami Heat need alongside Jimmy Butler.
Donovan Mitchell came into the season on the back of a new contract extension with the Utah Jazz as he signed a $163 million deal over five years. He has a player option ahead of the 2025-26 season. This means that the Miami Heat have no choice but to trade him as he only hits free agency in 2026.
Players with more 50-point playoff games than Donovan Mitchell:
Michael Jordan
Wilt Chamberlain
Allen Iverson
That’s it. https://t.co/1dVJmUCtW6
The Miami Heat can compile a trade that includes Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry to make the salaries work. The Jazz will be getting the reigning Sixth Man of the Year in Herro and a veteran who brings championship experience in Lowry.
The Miami Heat also have a whole host of first-round picks at their disposal till 2029. The only exceptions are the 2025 and 2026 picks, as the 2025 pick could be the Oklahoma City Thunder's and 2026 belonging to OKC.