Could the Wizards make a run at Donovan Mitchell?

At this point in the offseason, fans are just waiting for the news that superstar guard Donovan Mitchell will be traded from the Utah Jazz to one of the many, many suitors around the league. The Vegas odds suggest there is a roughly 50% chance that Mitchell suits up for Utah again next season, but with teams calling the Jazz every day to make a deal, I suspect he’ll be gone before opening night.

Utah Jazz: Are the Wizards a viable trade partner?

The two contenders we have covered the most for Mitchell on the J-Notes are the Miami Heat and New York Knicks. Both teams have the assets to make a deal happen, as well as a competitive window they want to make the most of. Mitchell is only 25 years old, so teams on the rise may want to take a swing at him.

I’m not sure if I agree that Deni Avdija and Johnny Davis have a higher upside than Grimes and Toppin, but I would not be opposed to seeing Avdija get a fresh start with a new system, and I think Davis is a high-upside player, despite a poor Summer League showing.

That being said, a disappointing lottery pick in Avdija and an unproven rookie in Davis is not enough to move a player of Mitchell’s caliber. On top of that, the money simply does not add up since Mitchell is making well over $30 million a year and the two trade chips combine for a yearly salary of under $10 million. The Wizards would have to throw in Kristaps Porzingis as well, which they may be reluctant to do.

Porzingis is a high-volume scorer who, when hot, can rain shots in from anywhere. He has a decent handle for anyone, and when you factor in his height he’s definitely an asset on the offensive end. On defense, the only thing going for him is his length. He is not strong, he cannot defend in the post, and his injury-riddled past draws concerns.

That being said, aside from Bradley Beal, Porzingis is the only real scoring threat. Sorry, Kyle Kuzma.

I’m not entirely sure why the Wizards are committed to Beal, since the team has never really won anything with him, and he could have been traded years ago for foundational rebuilding pieces, but I’m a blogger, not a GM. Maybe they know more than I do. Beal is also a ball-dominant shooting guard who doesn’t play much defense, so I’m not sure how the Wizards would run an offense with both of them on the floor. Maybe they’re hoping Rui Hachimura finally lives up to the Kawhi Leonard comparisons. Keep in mind, that Leonard also took time to develop.

I’m not sure the trade makes sense for the Wizards, but the Jazz would get some immediate gratification. They could see if Davis and Avdaji are the real deal, and they would have a real offensive threat in Porzingis. I think a Kristaps/Clarkson duo could be really fun to watch, and the three picks are not too shabby, especially when you consider the Wizards are always destined for mediocrity.

I’d rather take a better package with a different team, but the trade outlined above might actually be better than keeping Mitchell around only to do this song and dance next season when the trade market cools down.