JAZZ TRADED DONOVAN MITCHELL TO THE CAVALIERS

The Jazz sent two superstars, Gobert and Mitchell, for a total of 7 first-round picks and 4 exchange rights. Moreover, Walker Kessler (#22 rookie this year) acquired in the Gobert transaction and Agbaji acquired in the Mitchell transaction are still unplayed rookies, which are equivalent to two other first-round picks in disguise. Or just looking at this Mitchell transaction, the Sexton, Markkanen, and Agbaji acquired are all “Young core” under the age of 26, plus draft picks, which are no less than the specifications of the 2009 AD transaction! Danny Ainge, who was brought in to be in charge of the reconstruction, brought out his cold-blooded character to the fullest!

Mitchell was selected by the Jazz #13 in 2017 and played for the Jazz for 5 seasons; and Gobert has played for the Jazz for 9 seasons since 2013. The Jazz originally hoped for the two stars of offense and defense. Can win the Championship for the Jazz (well, let’s be realistic, at least close. After all, there is only one championship, and if you don’t get the championship, you will be disintegrated), but the two have worked together for 5 seasons, and the Jazz have entered the playoffs every year ( In the 2020-21 season, they are still the No. 1 seed in the season), but the Jazz was eliminated in the first round in 3 years, and stopped in the second round in the other 2 years….

Mitchell and the Jazz record

Every time it comes to the playoffs, the Jazz finds that they focus on defense, slow down the opponent’s rhythm and play a low score strategically because their offensive firepower is seriously insufficient. Wouldn’t it be better to strengthen the offensive firepower? The problem is that Jazz’s salary space is taken up by two players. Gobert will average a 42.4 million salary in the next 4 years, and Mitchell will also have an average salary of 33.7 million in the same 4-year contract. I personally think there’s another reason, and that’s because star free agents are usually reluctant to go to Utah where they don’t make eggs. So the Jazz finally has to admit that the two cannot bring the Championship to the Jazz, and it is naturally a reasonable choice to take advantage of the two to get out of the way when they are at their peak.

New York Knicks missed out again

Originally New York was very interested in Mitchell, and the Knicks were willing to send Barrett, Fournier and Grimes to trade for Mitchell, but it is rumored that the Jazz was not satisfied with New York’s only two first-round picks, and the Knicks also signed a 4-year, 120 million rookie with Barrett in advance. The extension of the contract made it more complicated for the Jazz to make a deal with the Knicks (involving the so-called poison clause Poison Pill Provision, the picture below is the explanation of the famous writer Bobby Marks, interested readers can study it by themselves), and finally the transaction between the two sides fell through. The Cavaliers have enough young assets on hand to give away a lot of draft picks, sacrificing the future, cashing in on the present, and taking over Mitchell.

In addition to the draft right, it depends on the future (selection, vision), and the Jazz got 3 young players who are ready to fight. The 24-year-old scoring point guard Sexton is on the list. He averaged 24.3 points per game in the 2020-21 season. The defender’s figure is too bad, and Sexton will be sold sooner or later. Sexton tore his meniscus at the start of the season and was called off early, and is now a big part of the trade case. If he ever makes a full recovery, he’s definitely an important piece of the Jazz rebuilding puzzle.

Note: In order to successfully conclude the transaction, Sexton also received a four-year contract renewal price of $72 million before completing the signing of the Cavaliers and Jazz.

Opportunity in Utah

Markkanen is a standard Stretch 4, but the small ball environment requires movement speed in addition to the perimeter, and his inability to carry a center limits his value. The Jazz will then see how much market value the shooter Bogdanovic (19.5 million contract year) and veteran point guard Conley (about 47 million contract with 2 years left) have left to sell. In addition to Sexton and Markkanen who are relatively the starters, the new members Beasley, THT, Alexander-Walker, and Vanderbilt are all frustrated young players in the original team. It depends on who can seize this opportunity to stand firm in the league.

As for the Cavaliers, they have actually emerged last season, but unfortunately, young people are young people after all. They are “only” with a 44-38 win rate and a 50% winning rate, ranking 8th in the Eastern Division. They even lost to the Eagles in the playoffs. Failed to make the playoffs. After Markkanen leaves the team, the second-year Okoro may continue to start the new season under defensive considerations, but it is not ruled out that another scorer LeVert will be added to the start. In any case, the Cavaliers have two towers in the interior and there are two stars in the backcourt. There are only a few powerful substitutes, but maybe the Cavaliers can compete with the Bucks, Sixers, Celtics, Heat and other powerhouses in the Eastern Conference in the upcoming new season!