NBA free agency is typically a barren, dystopian wasteland by the second half of July. Teams are usually left fighting for scraps after most of the big dominoes have fallen. That’s not the case this summer, as the superstar trade market has left a lingering sense of intrigue hanging over the offseason. One of the big names reportedly on the market is Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell, who appears to be attainable after Utah signaled a rebuild with the Rudy Gobert trade. Where could Mitchell end up? People, let’s run through some fake trades!
Knicks get: Donovan Mitchell
Jazz get: Evan Fournier, Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes; 2025, ’27 and ’29 Knicks’ first-round picks; ’23 Dallas’s first, ’28 pick swap
New York should really only do a Mitchell trade, in my opinion, if it also holds on to RJ Barrett. While the Jazz would obviously love him in return, I don’t think he’s make or break for Utah. Will Danny Ainge potentially want to give Barrett a max extension when he can remake the team with picks and space instead? I think the Jazz would prefer to tear this down and try to find a true superstar in the lottery, which could ultimately help keep Barrett out of this trade. That means the Knicks have to overwhelm Utah with picks, and they’re giving up four plus a pick swap here. (And the young guys in this deal could all fit in around star talent.) I may be in the minority, but I would actually be excited by a core of Mitchell, Jalen Brunson and Barrett on the Knicks. I’m sure New York has already offered something along the lines of this deal. It could come down to whether another suitor decides to part with a young star if it gets accepted.
Jeffrey Swinger/USA Today Sports
Heat get: Donovan Mitchell
Jazz get: Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Nikola Jović, Omer Yurtseven; 2023 and ’28 Heat’s first-round picks
Hard to see this one happening simply because Miami is not able to overwhelm the Jazz with picks. Utah would have to be really high on Tyler Herro, as well as want to sign him to an extension to make this deal. Is Herro worth it? His value around the league is probably the lowest it’s been after his playoff struggles, though some may chalk it up to injury. It’s hard to imagine the Jazz won’t feel like they can do better for themselves via tanking. Miami’s best bet for Mitchell would be to try to acquire picks in other deals so it can glom on to this offer. The Heat’s sludgy halfcourt offense would obviously get a massive boost from Mitchell in this scenario. For Pat Riley to make it happen, he needs to find a way to amass more draft capital.
Cavaliers get: Donovan Mitchell
Jazz get: Caris LeVert, Isaac Okoro, Collin Sexton via sign-and-trade; 2025, ’27 and ’29 Cavaliers’ first-round picks
Hmmm. Would three firsts and Collin Sexton on a manageable deal be enough to get Utah’s attention? Could LeVert and Okoro possibly be moved to a third team for even more picks? Cleveland isn’t going to send back one of its true young studs to the Jazz in a Mitchell trade, though Sexton is someone who can at least help keep the lights on and take a bunch of shots during a tanking year. (Whether that’s fair to him is another story.) The Cavs getting in the mix here would be a lot of fun. A young group of Mitchell, Darius Garland and Evan Mobley would arguably be the most exciting in the league, and the team could grow for years to come.
Raptors get: Donovan Mitchell
Jazz get: OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa, Thad Young; 2025, ’27 and ’29 Raptors’ first-round picks; 2028 pick swap
Would Toronto get in on Mitchell if it feels Durant is out of the question? Anunoby and Achiuwa are really good complementary pieces, and the Jazz would be in a position to keep them around for their upcoming influx of lottery talent or—you guessed it—move them for even more picks! In the North, Toronto would have an incredibly exciting offense adding Mitchell to Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet and Scottie Barnes, with probably enough length and defensive tenacity in the starting five to make up for the undersized backcourt. The Raptors would still need some frontcourt depth in this scenario (maybe Gary Trent Jr. becomes available?) but the deal would give them at least two All-NBA level talents in Mitchell and Siakam.
Lakers get: Donovan Mitchell
Jazz get: Russell Westbrook, Malik Beasley; 2027 and ’29 Lakers’ first-round picks; producer credit on Winning Time season two
There is a zero-percent chance of this trade happening, but I had to respond to the PhotoShops. Mitchell would have to very publicly join a cult or something to tank his trade value so low he gets moved for Russ and two picks. There’s a lesson here about this trade, though. The players going back to Utah aren’t very important here. The teams armed with draft capital who are simultaneously not trying to tank are the ones to keep an eye. That’s fewer franchises around the league than you might think.
