Three players the Utah Jazz most need to have a breakout season in 2019-20

Donovan Mitchell

The presumed breakouts of Royce O’Neale and Dante Exum will bolster the Jazz roster and make them about as stout and well-rounded of a first and second unit as can be imagined. However, we all know that while role players are important, it’s the stars in the NBA, capable of hitting key shots and taking over in critical situations, that often are the deciding factor in whether or not a team can win a championship.

For the Utah Jazz, the player with the most superstar potential yet to reach is none other than Donovan Mitchell. In other words, in order for them to truly ascend to the ranks of the elite in the NBA, year three will have to be Mitchell’s finest yet.

The comparisons between Mitchell and Dwyane Wade have been numerous in Spida’s young career, some are a bit unfounded but others are very much justified. Mitchell obviously has a ways to go to reach Wade’s illustrious standards, but if he’s going to do so, he’ll need to have a prolific 2019-20 campaign.

In Wade’s third year, he not only took a massive leap on an individual level, but he led his Miami Heat squad to an NBA Championship. It may be a bit much to expect that same production from Mitchell, but it certainly should be considered within his reach.

The good news for Donovan is that there are already a lot of positive signs that this upcoming season could very well be an incredible one for him. First of all, historically he’s had to shoulder an unbelievable load for the Jazz as the primary creator and offensive option. Sometimes that responsibility has led to him being overwhelmed as well as unable to keep up defensively.

However, with Mike Conley now in the mix able to be a second playmaker alongside Mitchell, life is likely about to get much easier for Spida. Factor in as well that Conley and Bogdanovic will revolutionize Utah’s spacing, and Mitchell should be able to focus more on what he does best – getting into the paint and making things happen from there as a crafty and athletic finisher.

Not only that, but in the small sample size of FIBA play, Mitchell showed significant improvement on two aspects of his game that have been considered weaknesses, namely, efficiency and distributing. Mitchell shot 46.6 percent from the field and 40.5 percent from deep while adding five assists per game. Both his three-point percentage and assists per game were second on Team USA to Joe Harris and Kemba Walker, respectively.

In other words, Mitchell is already showing strides in the most important aspects. He’s also expressed a commitment both verbally and in his FIBA play to improving defensively. Furthermore, he’s well-known for having a work ethic and drive that are simply conducive to improvement.

Add all that together, and you can’t help but like Mitchell’s odds of enjoying a truly spectacular breakout season in 2019-20. His commitment to his craft, some of which we’ve already seen in FIBA play, combined with an improved supporting cast that should allow him a lighter load and heightened efficiency on offense as well as greater stamina for lockdown defense could very well result in a phenomenal year three.

If the Jazz hope to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy come year’s end, Donovan Mitchell’s ascent will be the most crucial of any. If he has a breakout All-NBA caliber season, the Jazz’s championship odds will skyrocket through the roof.