Donovan Mitchell Chatter Gives Jazz Fans Dose of Déjà Vu

Utah Jazz fans know this drill all too well.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. The chatter amongst NBA insiders that the Cleveland Cavaliers should cut bait with ex-Utah Jazz All-Star Donovan Mitchell is starting to heat up. 

According to ESPN NBA writer Tim Bontempts, the Cavaliers have no shot of retaining Mitchell beyond the summer of 2025. Bontempts shared his thoughts on The Brian Windhorst Hoops Collective Podcast.

“I think there’s no chance he signs,” Bontempts said. “I don’t think there’s any chance he signs an extension there — ever, and if it was up to me, I would trade Donovan Mitchell today. Cause I don’t think the Cavs are getting as far as they hope to next year, and I don’t think he’s going to extend, and I thinking they’ll get a lot more for him with two summers left than they will with one summer left.”

Windhorst then threw his two cents in on the subject.

“I’m sure he’ll get asked about it on media day,” Windhorst said. “I’m sure he’ll have a very good answer and maybe even a hedge answer and that will be interesting. He knows how to handle the situation before. He handled it before in Utah. I don’t expect him to make any proclamation. I expect him to kick the ball down the field.”

New #HoopCollective with @WindhorstESPN and @espn_macmahon where we split both the Eastern and Western Conferences up into tiers of contending status, and assess where the offseason stands across the league: https://t.co/YvbovTTyA8

— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) July 24, 2023

Although the odds of Mitchell sticking around long-term are slim, it’s a safe bet that he’ll be in Cleveland for at least one more season. 

By trading Mitchell now, the Cavaliers would be admitting that the exchange made with the Jazz last summer was a debacle. Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman and GM Mike Gansey will want to roll the dice at least one more year before they'll ever concede to that.

However, the way it’s trending, it doesn’t look good for the Cavaliers. 

Let's revisit the exchange.

Cavaliers received:

• Donovan Mitchell

Jazz received:

• Collin Sexton
• Lauri Markkanen
• Ochai Agbaji
• 2025 first-round pick
• 2026 pick swap
• 2027 first-round pick
• 2028 pick swap
• 2029 first-round pick

This is not an endorsement for Altman's and Gainsey's contracts to be renewed anytime soon.

Also, the census around the league is Mitchell would most likely only sign a long-term deal with the New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, or Miami Heat, which makes it a tougher sell for Cleveland with only two years on his current deal. 

Finally, giving up the farm for an All-NBA talent has been bad for business for teams that attempted these types of deals last year. The Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Phoenix Suns provided a blueprint on what not to do in their quest for a championship. 

The trio of franchises sacrificed a total of eleven first-round picks, four pick swaps, Markkanen, Sexton, Abaji, Walker Kessler, Mikel Bridges, and Cam Johnson, for a net return of one playoff series win last season. Not to rub salt in the wound, but one of those first-rounders already netted the Jazz Keyonte George.

There's still time for these franchises to flip the script, but Jazz fans have to be elated with how everything has played out so far.

Stay tuned.

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