After the anti-climactic end to the Kevin Durant trade saga, all eyes are on Donovan Mitchell. The Utah Jazz guard is now the hottest commodity on the trade market. Teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks and Miami Heat are all gunning for the services of Mitchell next season.
However, the Jazz have an insane asking price for their young star. They reportedly want a collection of first-round picks and young talent in exchange for the multi-time All-Star. Some teams have bowed out of the bidding for Mitchell as a result, including the Cavs, according to Ian Begley of SNY.
The Cavs removing themselves from the Mitchell sweepstakes only reinforces that the Knicks are the only team capable of trading for the Jazz star. Cleveland simply can’t afford to trade their draft capital and their young talent in exchange for Mitchell. On the other hand, though, the Knicks could burn through multiple picks and offer RJ Barrett as an intriguing, improving young talent.
Missing out on Mitchell stings, but ultimately doesn’t derail the Cavs’ immediate plans. Sure, Mitchell would’ve been a great addition, but their roster looks promising enough as it is. There was no need to gut the roster in a short-sighted move that doesn’t even guarantee title contention for Cleveland.
Now, the Cavs can turn their attention on their goals for 2022-23. They had a promising start last season, but unfortunately fell flat down the stretch due to a rash of injuries. Even without Mitchell in the fold, don’t be surprised if Cleveland is back in the playoffs this season for the first time in 2018.