How the Kevin Durant saga is really good for the Utah Jazz

After the dust settled from the Rudy Gobert and Dejounte Murray trades, the NBA offseason has largely focused on the Utah Jazz. Donovan Mitchell is a 25-year-old three-time All-Star with four years left on his five-season, $163 million dollar contract. All in all, that’s a steal.

The other big news from the offseason so far is that Kevin Durant wants out of Brooklyn. Big surprise, right? Durant is an all-time great who signed a five-year extension before last season with the Nets, but he already wants out, unless the Nets fire Steve Nash or Sean Marks. It should be noted that Durant wanted to play specifically for Nash, and Marks is the guy who brought him to town. It looks like the clowns are running the circus.

Durant is a better player than Mitchell, and will undoubtedly have a better overall career when the Jazzman retires, but I’m not sure that matters anymore. Both have four seasons left on their current deal, and Durant is still a top player in the league, but for how much longer? He’s 34 years old and has battled injuries over the last few seasons, notably a torn Achilles two seasons ago. On top of that, he’s possibly the biggest diva in NBA history.

If you were an NBA GM, would you rather have Mitchell or Durant? Again, Durant is the better player, but Mitchell has been nothing short of a class act in Utah. He got along with coach Quin Snyder, put aside his differences with Rudy Gobert, and made the playoffs every season, and is endeared by fans. On top of that, the asking price for Mitchell is six first-round picks. That’s a huge haul, but the price for Durant is three picks and a “young star.” Why would you even trade for Durant if you lose your best player in the process? Who will you pair him with? Durant has never played without a star by his side, so asking him to carry a team in his fragile state might drive him to insanity.

The Durant ridiculousness is a good thing for the Utah Jazz. If the Nets manage to trade him, it will boost the market for Mitchell. The Jazz can already ask for a lot after Gobert and Murray were traded for several picks, inflating the trade market. Durant won’t be traded for a small package at all, so no matter what the Nets get back, it would help the Jazz.

Secondly, the drama surrounding the Nets is perfect for the Jazz. There is a lot of uncertainty in Utah. Will they tank? Will they even trade Mitchell? Who will start at center and point guard? But none of that is team drama, it’s just the usual issues teams run into every offseason. Without any real issues, teams should be more eager to deal with Utah than the Nets, which again will boost the asking price.

Keep whining, Kevin. You had the team you play for built exactly how you wanted, but you consistently underperformed. Blame yourself, or keep stirring the pot, because the Utah Jazz are looking better and better, all thanks to you.