Utah Jazz star guard Donovan Mitchell will now find himself in the headlines a whole lot leading up to the NBA offseason.
Why? Well, it’s pretty simple. There’s been some talk about Mitchell being unhappy about the direction of the organization following yet another premature exit from the NBA Playoffs.
We can now add “unsettled” and “unnerved” to the list of explanations regarding Mitchell’s mentality following the resignation of longtime head coach Quin Snyder.
Snyder announced his resignation earlier on Sunday. Almost immediately, the very same report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski noted that Mitchell is “wondering what it means for the franchise’s future.” In the same report, the NBA insider concludes that Mitchell is “surprised and disappointed” by Snyder’s departure.
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Snyder’s departure comes after he led Utah to six consecutive NBA Playoff appearances. Unfortunately, his now-former team never advanced to the conference finals during that span.
As for Mitchell, there’s a reported rift between the All-Star guard and Rudy Gobert.
“It’s the most underplayed story in the league. The Jazz are struggling a lot. This team had big expectations and they’re getting passed by frankly. They are not on the level they were a year ago. Donovan and Gobert, even though they’re both under long-term contract, are under each other’s skin.”
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst on Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert dynamic
This rift has existed since Gobert tested positive for COVID-19 back in March of 2020, leading to the NBA season being suspended. Mitchell contracted the virus shortly thereafter. We’re talking about issues for more than two calendar years.
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Mitchell, 25, has proven himself to be among the best guards in the NBA. It’s led to widespread speculation that Gobert will be moved with the former leading Utah into the future. For good reason.
- Donovan Mitchell stats (2021-22): 25.9 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 5.3 APG, 1.5 SPG, 45% shooting, 36% 3-point
At issue here is Utah’s path to contention with Snyder no longer in the mix. There’s also been talk that a larger market like New York city could attract the three-time All-Star.
Despite having four more years and $135 million remaining on his current contract, Mitchell holds the cards here. The NBA is a star-driven league. Stars can request trades. Typically, said requests are granted.
It’s a major backstory in Salt Lake leading up to what promises to be an interesting offseason for the Jazz.