Following months of speculation, Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell is finally on the move. The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired the 3x All-Star in exchange for an extensive package of picks and players.
In exchange for the former Louisville guard, Utah is receiving Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Ogbaji, Collin Sexton, and the Cavaliers unprotected 1st round picks in 2025, 2027, and 2029. Additionally, they’ll also receive pick swaps with Cleveland in 2026 and 2028.
Topping things off, Collin Sexton has also agreed to a sign and trade deal which will see the former Alabama standout ink a new 4 year, $72M contract with the Jazz.
With Mitchell now a member of the Cavs, and former Jazz franchise cornerstone Rudy Gobert a member of the Timberwolves, Utah has accumulated 13 unprotected or lightly protected picks leading up to the 2029 draft.
According to sources, Cavaliers GM Koby Altman checked back in with the Jazz this week following another breakdown in negotiations with the New York Knicks. Once draft capital was ironed out, the two sides quickly reassembled the framework of an earlier proposal the two clubs had been discussing.
While it’s been a busy offseason for Utah, insiders around the league don’t believe that they’re done on the trade front quite yet. With veterans such as Jordan Clarkson, Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic still on the roster, more deals could still be on the horizon.
One week removed from his 26th birthday, Mitchell now joins an exciting young core for the Cavaliers in Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, and Evan Mobley. In his 5 NBA campaigns, Mitchell has never averaged under 20pts per game for a season, and posted a 25.9pts/4.2reb/1.5stl/5.3ast statline for the Jazz last year.
While some have criticized his less than stellar impact on the defensive end of the court, especially in the playoffs, having defensive anchors such as Allen & Mobley to play in front of could spell exciting times for the Cavs new backcourt duo.
With Mitchell now in place, the Cavaliers have their core four all locked up through the 2025 season, and figure to be a force in the east for years to come.
-Kyle Skinner
Twitter: @JKyleSkinner
Photo: Frenchieinportland. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.