After getting a huge haul for former All-Star center Rudy Golbert, the Utah Jazz are now open to trading Donovan Mitchell and should have a steep asking price for Mitchell. While that could mean a lengthy rebuild for the Jazz, they could get even more in return for Mitchell. After all, he’s five years younger than Golbert, is a three-time All-Star, and is under contract for at least three more seasons.
All that works out well for the Jazz, who now have the NBA’s hottest trade asset, even surpassing Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. That gives them the ability to further reset the roster and add even more assets for the future. But what should the asking price for Mitchell be? Let’s examine.
The Jazz’s decision to listen to offers for Mitchell is likely due to several factors. One is that replacing Golbert is nearly impossible, so the team will probably be worse next season. After winning a respectable 49 games, finishing 5th in the West, and losing in the first round, taking a step back could mean that they’re only a play-in team next season.
That probably isn’t appealing to the Jazz and neither is paying their current roster nearly $139 million next season. On the other hand, by moving Mitchell, they could cut salary and add to their growing stash of picks. It would also make the Jazz much worse next season, which may be strategic.
Moving Mitchell could help the Jazz rebuild faster
With Golbert and Mitchell gone, Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic could be the next players shipped out of Utah. Doing so could put the Jazz in a position to land projected number one pick Victor Wambanyama in the 2023 NBA Draft. Therefore, the Jazz should shop Mitchell now, and can use the recent Dejounte Murray trade to inform their asking price.
The San Antonio Spurs dealt Murray to the Atlanta Hawks and given his similarities to Mitchell; the Jazz should look at what the Spurs got for him. Both guards are 25 years old, and while Murray is a better defender and passer, Mitchell is a better shooter and overall offensive player.
Therefore, if Murray, a one-time All-Star with two years left on his deal, is worth three picks and a pick swap then Mitchell should definitely be worth more. Based on that, I believe that the Jazz should ask for at least five firsts for Mitchell, as well as two pick swaps. Pick-wise, that would beat the four firsts and one pick swap received in the Golbert trade, but the Jazz could ask for even more.
They should also request a couple of promising young players in return, especially if they have to take back bad contracts to make a deal work. The New York Knicks appear to be the most likely destination for Mitchell, despite recently rejecting a deal, and they have the assets needed to meet that asking price.
In fact, they have a total of eleven first round picks, and young players like Emmanuel Quickly, Quintin Grimes, and Obi Toppin available to trade. It remains to be seen what the return for Mitchell will actually be. That said, the Jazz’s asking price should be at least five first round picks, two pick swaps, and a couple of promising prospects.