4) Mitchell and Gobert Are On-Board
Without question, Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert are the tip of the spear for the Utah Jazz. And both players have already voiced their support for Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey’s move to acquire Allen.
Not only did Mitchell endorse the selection, he may have had a hand in making it happen. The Rookie of the Year candidate even name-checked Allen to Jazz brass as an option after seeing him up close at a CAA workout in California.
Via Eric Woodyard/the Deseret News —
"Among the 140 NBA representatives in attendance for the Creative Arts Agency (CAA) Pro Day, Utah Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey and his assistant David Morway watched Duke prospect Grayson Allen put on a show. He got off to a fast start in Thousand Oaks, California, draining a dozen straight treys in his around-the-arc drill. Out of 25 3-pointers, he missed only five. Jazz star Donovan Mitchell also witnessed the display firsthand, which prompted him to text Morway immediately with “Grayson at 21?”"
Grayson at 21, indeed. According to Lindsey, Gobert also voiced his approval of the Allen pick.
Having that level of support from the team’s cornerstone players and two bona fide stars in the Association can only help as Allen adjusts to a new league and a higher level of play.
Or, as ESPN put it —
Next: No. 3