It’s true that the Jazz traded away their only other All-Star (Gobert) and a quality starter (O’Neale), but they do not need to embrace the losing way and totally rebuild. Leave that to the Thunder, Pistons, Rockets, and Magic. For now, the Jazz can realistically field a competitive team.
After the moves the Jazz have made, fans seem to think a rebuild is the only route the Jazz can take. That’s simply not true. The Warriors, Clippers, Lakers, and Suns are watching their championship window close, and the Timberwolves are all in now without a plan for the short-term future. The only two teams on the rise in the West are the Nuggets and Grizzlies. If the Jazz remain on the course they’ve been on, eventually, they’ll break through. Adding the perfect complimentary player to Mitchell would make the door wide open.
What do you think? Are the Jazz destined to rebuild, or should they keep Mitchell and see what happens? There are the doomsday fans who think Mitchell will demand a trade or walk in free agency (four years away), but if the Jazz can field a competitive team, why would he want to leave?
Utah Jazz</a> trading All-Star <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2022/08/13/utah-jazz-debate-series-3-reasons-mitchell-stay/3/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mitchdo01.html" ref="nofollow">Donovan Mitchell</a> and heading towards a full rebuild. The Jazz added several first-round picks this offseason by trading Gibert and O’Neale, but flipping Mitchell might double the total number. It seems like an easy choice, and the writers at the J-Notes have had a ton of fun covering all the potential mock trades that the Jazz could make.</p>
<p>But what if they don’t trade Mitchell? Could they still come out ahead? I believe so. Mitchell has been nothing but a class act this summer. Kevin Durant has been a diva, and after being traded to Atlanta, Dejounte Murray showed his true colors. It’s been refreshing that Mitchell has appeared eager to work with the Jazz front office. At this point, with no deal imminent, maybe the Utah Jazz should keep their young superstar and commit to building around him. With Gobert out of the picture, if he stays, it will be Mitchell’s team. There are several reasons not to trade him, so let’s look at the benefits of keeping him on the Jazz.</p>
<h3>Donovan Mitchell improves every year</h3>
<p>Already a three-time All-Star, Mitchell has never failed to average more than 20 points per night and has been the Jazz’s leading scorer every year since he’s entered the NBA. His points go up 5.5% every year, his assists go up 8.75%, his rebounds 3%, and his shooting percentage from deep is .75%, on average.</p>
<h2>Donovan Mitchell will average 27.3 points, 4.3 boards, 5.7 dimes, and shoot 35.8% from deep.</h2>
<p>That would put him sixth in the league in points in the 2021 season, at age 26. That’s absurd. Why would you want to trade him away?</p>
<p>Mitchell is yet to make an All-NBA team, but the numbers suggest he’s closing in on it. Even if he’s arrived at his peak, he’s certainly one of the best players in the entire league, and with four years left on his contract, he could be in Utah to stay.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2022/08/13/utah-jazz-debate-series-3-reasons-mitchell-stay/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Mitchell is the key to rebuild </a>
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avoids the drama</a> that other stars tend to enjoy. He’s a workhorse who just puts his head down and gets the job done.</p>
<p>Granted, he doesn’t have a ring to show for it, but if the Jazz can find someone to play alongside him who’s just as good, then the Jazz will be in a good place.</p>
<p>The team has the draft capital to sell to a star. When a good player is shopping around in free agency, if Ainge can convince him that the Jazz will use their many picks to add complimentary talent to win now, a player may give up the New York or LA bright lights and decide to win a ring in Utah. Clarkson, Bogdanovic, Gay, Beasley, and Beverly are an elite supporting cast, and with two stars in town, the Jazz could really make a run of things. If the Jazz trade Mitchell, then they would have to start from scratch and take the arduous road of building totally from the draft. “But maybe someone will want to sign in Utah to be the lone star,” I can hear you saying. Why would they do that? Mitchell is the draw of playing in Utah, and without him, the Jazz don’t have any selling points until their eventual draft picks blossom into stars, which is no guarantee. Mitchell is already that guy.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2022/08/13/utah-jazz-debate-series-3-reasons-mitchell-stay/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Is a rebuild even necessary? </a>
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realistically field a competitive team</a>.</p>
<p>Earlier this week, we looked at how the Jazz could <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2022/08/13/utah-jazz-debate-series-3-reasons-mitchell-stay/3/"https://thejnotes.com/2022/08/11/could-the-utah-jazz-land-superstar-kevin-durant/">create an instant title favorite</a>. Even if that road is unrealistic, the Jazz could flip their future picks for current pieces. They need some help at the center position, and Jakob Poeltl and Myles Turner are quality players on the trade block, and for a single pick, the Jazz could get either one of those guys from a floundering Pacers or Spurs team.</p>
<p>After the moves the Jazz have made, fans seem to think a rebuild is the only route the Jazz can take. That’s simply not true. The Warriors, Clippers, Lakers, and Suns are watching their championship window close, and the Timberwolves are all in now without a plan for the short-term future. The only two teams on the rise in the West are the Nuggets and Grizzlies. If the Jazz remain on the course they’ve been on, eventually, they’ll break through. Adding the perfect complimentary player to Mitchell would make the door wide open.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="3 reasons the Jazz should trade Mitchell" data-url="https://thejnotes.com/2022/08/13/utah-jazz-debate…donovan-mitchell/" data-call-to-action="Next"
> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2022/08/13/utah-jazz-debate-series-3-reasons-mitchell-stay/3/"https://thejnotes.com/2022/08/13/utah-jazz-debate…donovan-mitchell/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> 3 reasons the Jazz should trade Mitchell </a> </div>
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<p>What do you think? Are the Jazz destined to rebuild, or should they keep Mitchell and see what happens? There are the doomsday fans who think Mitchell will demand a trade or walk in free agency (four years away), but if the Jazz can field a competitive team, why would he want to leave?</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">