The J-Notes
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One Year Later: Grading the Donovan Mitchell trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers

By Chad Porto

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 15: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the U.S. Team defends Lauri Markkanen #24 of the World Team during the 2019 Mtn Dew ICE Rising Stars at Spectrum Center on February 15, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 15: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the U.S. Team defends Lauri Markkanen #24 of the World Team during the 2019 Mtn Dew ICE Rising Stars at Spectrum Center on February 15, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OHIO – DECEMBER 19: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers talks to Collin Sexton #2 of the Utah Jazz after the game at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on December 19, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Jazz 114-91. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO – DECEMBER 19: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers talks to Collin Sexton #2 of the Utah Jazz after the game at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on December 19, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Jazz 114-91. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

Verdict

For the Utah Jazz, it’s hard to look at this trade and not gush about how badly they ripped off the Cavaliers. You got five picks and three players for three years of controllability of a player whose biggest knock is that he couldn’t win in the playoffs? Yikes. If I were the Cavs, I never would’ve made the trade in the first place, as guys like Lauri Markkanen and Collin Sexton are more than capable of producing better numbers than Mitchell on his own.

When you factor in their long-term concerns and their cap situation only getting untenable, it’s not hard to believe that at some point in the near future, the team will be back in the lottery to some degree and that will only help the Jazz in the long-term. If Markkanen and Sexton stay, then this will fortify the Jazz for the next 15 years.

There’s no other grade than an A+, the Cavs got fleeced.

The Cavs on the other hand, could still earn themselves a good grade if they win the NBA title with Mitchell, or directly from a second Mitchell trade. Until that happens though, it’s hard to give the Cavs a good grade on a trade that crippled their future plans and made their roster less talented in the process. Mitchell may have been the best player of the three traded, but he’s not so much better than Markkanen anymore. The fact that the Cavs had to overpay for an average player to try and replace Markkanen while investing more time and money into Caris LeVert to replace Sexton shows you that this trade was short-sighted.

The Cavs are getting a C+ for the trade. The team may have been better off keeping their assets if a first-round exit is all they were able to muster.

Next. One Year Later: Grading the Rudy Gobert trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves. dark

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