When the Dallas Mavericks eliminated the Utah Jazz in the first round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs, the Jazz could no longer put off the inevitable. The Donovan Mitchell/Rudy Gobert era had run its course, so changes were both necessary and coming.
The Jazz were right to change course, but knowing where Mitchell and the Cavaliers are three years later, it's worth considering whether trading Spida specifically was the right option. It was clear he and Gobert were never going to work on a title contender, but that doesn't mean the Jazz couldn't have retooled with Mitchell instead of selling him off for assets.
Mitchell never technically made a trade request, which is why Jazz fans still think pretty highly of him. However, he confirmed he was ready for a fresh start after the Jazz traded him. Something to think about is that by the time they traded him, his contract had four years left, meaning Utah had plenty of time to think about their best move with him.
Even if he and Gobert weren't going anywhere together, that didn't mean they couldn't re-tool a little with Mitchell leading the way. While Gobert was 30 when the Jazz traded him, Mitchell was 25. While he wasn't necessarily super young, he was young enough to see what the Jazz could have looked like in a re-tool.
Mitchell may not necessarily be a Stephen Curry or Kevin Durant-type of player, but he has proven that, as long as his team builds the right team around him, they are right in the conversation among the NBA's elite.
Don't believe that? One gander at the Cavaliers this season proves exactly that.
The Mitchell trade has brought the Cavaliers to LeBron James-like heights
Look at what Mitchell has become and the new heights the Cavaliers have reached. He is the best player on one of the best teams in the NBA. Until their recent bad stretch, the first one they've had all year, they were winning at a pace that could have gotten them to 70 wins.
While Mitchell is unquestionably their best player, he's had a slight down year. However, the ascensions of Evan Mobley and Darius Garland, among others, have compensated for the slight downtick. This all points to the fact that Mitchell can be the best player on a title-contending team as long as the surrounding pieces are there.
That could have been the Jazz had they tried to change up the formula with Mitchell. They would have had the assets to keep their options open at least. They may not have been able to get a player as good as Gobert, but they could have gotten players who fit around Mitchell better than Gobert did.
It's not like the Jazz should be ashamed of where they are at the moment, even if it took them two years to realize rebuilding was their best option after trading both Mitchell and Gobert, but it's hard not to think they could have a contender right now had they stuck with Spida and built a more fitting contender around him.