Utah Jazz debate series: 3 reasons Mitchell should stay

Mitchell can draw others to Utah

Let’s face it: Salt Lake City does not draw big-name free agents. It’s a small market away from the glitz and glamor of the coasts and does not have the championship pedigree of other markets.

Donovan Mitchell can draw good players to Utah. In his tenure, he has shown nothing but class and grace. He avoids the drama that other stars tend to enjoy. He’s a workhorse who just puts his head down and gets the job done.

Granted, he doesn’t have a ring to show for it, but if the Jazz can find someone to play alongside him who’s just as good, then the Jazz will be in a good place.

The team has the draft capital to sell to a star. When a good player is shopping around in free agency, if Ainge can convince him that the Jazz will use their many picks to add complimentary talent to win now, a player may give up the New York or LA bright lights and decide to win a ring in Utah. Clarkson, Bogdanovic, Gay, Beasley, and Beverly are an elite supporting cast, and with two stars in town, the Jazz could really make a run of things. If the Jazz trade Mitchell, then they would have to start from scratch and take the arduous road of building totally from the draft. “But maybe someone will want to sign in Utah to be the lone star,” I can hear you saying. Why would they do that? Mitchell is the draw of playing in Utah, and without him, the Jazz don’t have any selling points until their eventual draft picks blossom into stars, which is no guarantee. Mitchell is already that guy.