A western franchise ready to open the floodgates, multiple departures in sight?
We are still far from the start of the 2022-23 season, but some franchises could still make some very big changes. This is particularly the case of a team from the Western Conference, whose departure of a star could generate a domino effect in stride.
A priori, we should not see the Jazz reach the playoffs in 2022-23. By trading Rudy Gobert to the Timberwolves (a division rival at that), the franchise has clearly launched a rebuilding operation. In order for it to get started for good, there is still one file to complete, and not the least, that of Donovan Mitchell. The back should not last long on the spot, but he is still a member of the team and the negotiations did not go to the end, whether with the Heat or the Knicks for example.
In fact, what poses a problem is the consideration demanded by the Mormons, which is intended to be very substantial. According to the latest revelations, the package they would like to get is huge… However, there is a good chance that a deal will be finalized before the fall, in the case of Spida. In which case he will not be the only one to have to say goodbye, as the journalist Michael Scotto affirms. According to him, two other stars of the roster should also pack their bags:
Exodus to come on the Jazz side?
If Mitchell is traded, NBA executives believe a fire sale will occur immediately in Utah, signaling the start of a long-term rebuild. Playoff-caliber teams are watching Bojan Bogdanovic and Patrick Beverley, with both players entering contract seasons, league sources tell HoopsHype.
Insofar as Salt Lake City did indeed get rid of its franchise player, it is virtually guaranteed that the other good players in the group will almost all go. Regarding Beverley, it was not a big surprise given that the ringleader had made things clear recently. With his defensive qualities and his ability to get into the heads of his opponents, the watchdog shouldn’t have too much trouble finding a buyer.
The observation is similar in the case of Bogdanovic, even more so for him since the Croatian comes out of an exercise with 17 points on average, all with very good shooting percentages. A valued teammate because he never makes waves in the locker room, he logically ticks a lot of boxes with the competition, who could get their hands on a serious winger capable of contributing on the spot. Be careful though, his last playoffs against the Mavs highlighted his weaknesses in defense.
It is therefore understandable, all these players could allow Utah to recover a lot of assets, in order to rebuild. They would also not start from scratch, since it is hard to believe that they will manage to separate from Mike Conley. The point guard is losing momentum and his enormous contract (47 million dollars over two years) does not play in the favor of the franchise either, in terms of negotiation. He will at least be there to supervise the newcomers, it will be said.
There is a good chance that the Jazz workforce will have a very different face from that of 2021-22, within a few days. Everything will depend on the Donovan Mitchell file, whose future will also dictate that of the Mormons.
