With the NBA trade deadline quickly approaching, there will be a ton of rumors about players being on the move. Usually, where there is smoke, there is some fire. In that case, Utah Jazz fans might want to start preparing themselves.
Center Rudy Gobert made some comments that will certainly garner some attention. He said that the Jazz is a step below the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns, specifically on defense.
Those are the two teams that the Jazz is chasing in the standings. Gobert may have a point, as it has been reported that Utah is in the market for a defensive-minded wing player that they can insert into their starting five.
But, the thing that may cause Jazz fans to become even more uneasy is centered around superstar guard Donovan Mitchell. According to Greg Sylvander, a Miami Heat insider, should Mitchell ever request a trade from Utah, Miami would be atop his wish list. In a distant second would be the New York Knicks Sylvander added.
There had been some rumors in the past that Donovan Mitchell no longer wanted to play alongside Gobert, but they seemed to have ironed out their differences. While nothing sounds imminent, the fact that a wish list of sorts for Mitchell has been confirmed likely isn’t very encouraging.
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While the Jazz has found plenty of success in the regular season during Mitchell’s career, they haven’t been able to find that level of success in the playoffs. The second-round loss to the LA Clippers in 2021, following the injury to Kawhi Leonard, was an inexcusable one for a Jazz team that finished the regular season with the best record in the NBA.
As for Mitchell’s reported wish list, of the two teams mentioned, the New York Knicks are a much likelier landing spot than the Miami Heat. Unless the Jazz has an interest in Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson, they do not have much else to offer.
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New York, on the other hand, has a good mix of draft capital, tradeable contracts and young players they could build a compelling package around to try and land Mitchell.
