Utah Jazz: Update to Donovan Mitchell’s potential return date

Utah Jazz sensation Donovan Mitchell is likely out for another week or two.

According to the Utah Jazz’s official Twitter account, the team’s medical staff offered an update on Saturday in regards to the sprained right ankle of Donovan Mitchell. Evidently, the two-time All-Star guard “continues to make progress” from the injury, which he suffered back on April 16 via an awkward landing in the third quarter of an eventual home win over the Indiana Pacers.

But judging from the tweet, it now seems there is zero chance of the Jazz seeing Mitchell’s return to action any sooner than next weekend as the franchise intends to again reevaluate the 24-year-old’s readiness in one week.

ALSO READ: When might Donovan Mitchell return from injury?

In other words, with only nine games remaining on the Jazz’s regular-season slate, Mitchell is pretty much certain to miss no fewer than the next four.

Up-and-down Utah Jazz in Donovan Mitchell’s absence

Across these past seven contests without the services of Donovan Mitchell, the Utah Jazz’s record is 3-4.

Ouch.

That said, the three wins all came on the road, and each of those was by at least 14 points. Plus, it’s worth noting that the Jazz’s scoring total and margin of victory in their 154-105 beatdown of the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night marked new franchise records.

All in all, though, Utah’s play since Mitchell’s fall indicates a strong need for the superstar’s presence again; of course, it doesn’t help that fellow 2021 All-Star guard Mike Conley will miss his third straight game with hamstring soreness.

Mitchell is averaging 26.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.2 steals, and 1.0 steals in 33.4 minutes per game this season. He’s done so while shooting 43.8 percent from the field, including a career-high 38.6 percent beyond the arc.

And in his five outings leading up to the Pacers game, the former No. 13 overall draft pick from 2017 had forced himself into the MVP conversation by averaging 36.8 points across that span.

Needless to say, the Jazz will probably require Donovan Mitchell’s help — ASAP — if they are to have any chance of snagging the No. 1 seed or making a deep run in the playoffs.

Utah (45-18) is now set to begin a five-game homestand by hosting the Toronto Raptors (26-37) at 8 p.m. MT Saturday.