Donovan Mitchell

The Jazz are reportedly receiving Lauri Markkanen, Ochair Agbaji, Collin Sexton, three first-round picks and two pick swaps in return.

Last season, Cleveland finished eighth in the Eastern Conference with a 44-38 record. Mitchell still has three years left on a five-year, $163-million contract he signed with the Jazz, and a player-option for the 2025-26 season. At that point, the Jazz and Cavaliers re-assembled a trade they'd discussed in previous weeks, Wojnarowski says.

After five seasons in Utah, the Jazz have traded three-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell to the Cavaliers.

Utah also lands a former top-10 pick in Markkanen (No. Donovan Mitchell 8 overall pick has reached a four-year, $72 million deal with the Jazz. Donovan Mitchell contract details 13 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft has exceeded all expectations to this point in his career, averaging 23.9 points, 4.5 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game. Donovan Mitchell trade details

The Cavaliers acquired guard Donovan Mitchell from the Jazz for three players and three first-round draft picks, according to multiple reports.

Markkanen, 25, averaged 14.8 points and 5.7 rebounds in 61 games last season, his first with the Cavaliers. Sexton, 23, played in just 11 games for the Cavaliers last season before undergoing season-ending surgery on his left knee. The trade of Mitchell, a three-time All-Star, signifies a full-on rebuilding project for the Jazz as they were unable to reach the Western Conference finals in recent seasons with Mitchell and star center Rudy Gobert on the roster. Agbaji, 22, was a first-round pick (14th overall) in the 2022 draft after being named an All-American at Kansas. Speculation all summer had Mitchell interested in being traded to his hometown New York Knicks. Utah will receive three unprotected first-round draft choices and two pick swaps.

Mitchell joins a talented young roster with All-Star point guard Darius Garland, All-Star center Jarrett Allen and an extremely promising forward in Evan Mobley ...

• After discussions between Utah and New York failed to gain necessary traction, Cleveland emerged as a suitor for the three-time All-Star guard. Mitchell is coming off his age 25 season with averages of 25.6 points on 45/36/85 shooting, 5.3 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 33.8 minutes.

After months of speculation, Donovan Mitchell and the Jazz finally found an unlikely suitor.

Getting zero protections on three first-round picks is a nice piece of negotiation, but the chances that those picks fall into the lottery seem slim given how young the Cavs' core is. He's one of the best at putting pressure on the rim and as a pure scorer. The Cavs still do have some serious issues at the wing. [20th in the regular season](https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/advanced/?sort=OFF_RATING&dir=-1&Season=2021-22&SeasonType=Regular%20Season) last year, was devoid of that punch outside of Darius Garland's strong playmaking and shooting. The top four for the Cavs of Mitchell, Allen, Garland and Mobley are immediately one of the most electrifying in the league. After months of speculation, Donovan Mitchell and the Jazz finally found an unlikely suitor.

NBA Trades: The Cleveland Cavaliers make a big splash by acquiring Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz, beating out the New York Knicks.

For the first half of last season, the Cavs were one of the biggest surprises in the Eastern Conference. The Cavs will now trot out a lineup that includes Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, Mitchell, and Jarrett Allen. Mitchell was traded to the Cavs in exchange for Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, Collin Sexton (

The Jazz will receive Collin Sexton, Lauri Markannen, Ochai Agbaji, three unprotected first-round picks and two pick swaps in the trade. Sexton, who entered the ...

Mitchell, who turns 26 next week, was selected by Utah 13th overall in the 2017 draft and quickly blossomed into one of the league’s best scorers, averaging a team-high 25.9 points last season. What’s more, the Knicks’ price for including Barrett, their top rising talent, in a deal for Mitchell was unclear. For weeks, Mitchell had been linked in rumors to the New York Knicks, who have been pursuing talent upgrades and possess a treasure chest of tradable assets that other teams might find hard to match. Meanwhile, Mobley and Allen form one of the NBA’s best interior defensive duos, helping to cover for Mitchell’s limitations on that end. That blockbuster move signaled Utah was eyeing a total rebuild, meaning Mitchell was probably the next domino to fall. After previously acquiring Walker Kessler, the 22nd pick in this year’s draft, in a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves this summer, Utah will add the 22-year-old Agbaji, who was the 14th player selected.

All-Star Lakers forward LeBron James registered his enthusiasm for the deal in response to a tweet from NBA personality Cuffs The Legend, hailing the ...

That might depend on the draft status of his son LeBron "Bronny" James Jr., as well as how far the Lakers manage to get in the postseason over the next two years. As of this writing, the Cavaliers project to have $55.8 million in available cap space to spend in the summer of 2024. All-Star Lakers forward LeBron James, who grew up in the Cleveland suburb of Akron, Ohio, has spent 11 of his 19 NBA seasons to date playing for the Cavaliers.

With the Jazz in full rebuilding mode these days, Mitchell has been on the trading block throughout the offseason. He was linked to numerous teams in that time, ...

Great trade for the Cleveland Cavaliers acquiring Donovan Mitchell to match with the young talent they already have. [September 1, 2022] The Cavs have turned a lot of heads with their massive acquisition. With the Jazz in full rebuilding mode these days, Mitchell has been on the trading block throughout the offseason. He will be a cornerstone piece for a young team in Cleveland. [reportedly acquired three unprotected first-round picks](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/donovan-mitchell-trade-cavaliers-acquire-all-star-for-collin-sexton-three-unprotected-picks-per-report/), plus two pick swaps.

Mitchell heads to Cleveland, while Collin Sexton joins Utah via a sign-and-trade deal.

He’s a proven scorer but he became expendable for Cleveland due to Garland’s development and the club’s talented frontline. There had been speculation for months that Mitchell might get moved, and it appeared the New York Knicks were the frontrunner for him. Cleveland, meanwhile, is looking to contend right now. Along with the Rudy Gobert trade with Minnesota, Utah has gathered 13 unprotected or lightly protected picks through 2029. [September 1, 2022] The Cavaliers will send three players, three unprotected first-round picks and two pick swaps in return.

The potential addition of the All-Star presents a couple of key questions for New York.

But as we saw with Gobert and the Jazz, if opposing guards get free lanes to the rim, it’s going to open up an abundance of shots—including ones worth more points—elsewhere all over the court. [5.1 points worse per 100 possessions](https://www.nba.com/stats/vs/advanced/#!?TeamID=1610612742&VsPlayerID=1628973&Season=2021-22&SeasonType=Regular%20Season) defensively this past year when Brunson was on the floor. But to be clear: He often was the worst offender, and it left Rudy Gobert and other Jazz players having to put out fires on the back side.) Yes, Dončić got much of the credit there for showing much greater effort and attention to detail. Regardless of how the rates break down, it seems highly likely that Barrett will have the ball in his hands less often when playing with the starting five—a fascinating dynamic given the extension that’s being finalized between him and the Knicks. When Brunson played without Luka, the point guard was at 26.6%—along the lines of what Randle (27.9) and Barrett (26.8) enjoyed last year. If Mitchell joins the Knicks—and does so with Barrett and Julius Randle staying put—where does Barrett land in the team’s pecking order offensively? That’s part of what makes a possible Mitchell acquisition (on top of the Brunson signing) so interesting: it’s almost certain that Barrett’s attempts, and perhaps Barrett’s scoring even, would see a decrease in light of who all would be joining the team. He also did it largely through getting to the line more often (closer to nine times per night), a welcome sign as his efficiency from the field still has room for improvement. [one of the NBA’s highest last season](https://www.nba.com/stats/players/advanced/?sort=USG_PCT&dir=-1&CF=GP*GE*55&Season=2021-22&SeasonType=Regular%20Season). In some ways, though, it also presents a couple of key questions for Barrett, coach Tom Thibodeau and the Knicks’ front office as a whole—all of whom would carry greater expectations heading into the 2022–23 campaign. As disappointing as last season was for the Knicks, who went from being a surprise No.

Mitchell is on his way to Cleveland, and the Knicks were smart not to overextend themselves.

Throw in a potential massive cap spike in 2025, when the new TV deal is set to kick in, and New York could also be a few years away from having something close to max space. Ultimately, had the Knicks been able to keep Barrett, I would've been in support of adding more unprotected picks to get Mitchell. Chances are, the Knicks would've really had to pile on the picks to trump the solid package of players Utah got from Cleveland. [Ochai Agbaji](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/3042389/ochai-agbaji/), three unprotected first-round picks and the right to two future pick swaps -- is a better deal that New York was reportedly offering. [Donovan Mitchell](/nba/players/2842760/donovan-mitchell/) was traded, seemingly out of the blue, to the [Cleveland Cavaliers](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/CLE/cleveland-cavaliers/) on Thursday, and the low-hanging fallout story for the [New York Knicks](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/NY/new-york-knicks/) is going to be striking out on yet another superstar pursuit. But the wrong deal can impact a franchise just as significantly as the right one.

The New York Knicks offered the Utah Jazz a package of three players, including RJ Barrett, and three unprotected first-round picks for shooting guard ...

Championship contention doesn't appear on the horizon, but the Knicks at least appear to be going in the right direction for once. Cleveland made the play-in tournament last year with a 44-38 record. At the start of trade talks in July, New York offered Utah a Donovan Mitchell package including RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin, Mitchell Robinson and three unprotected first-round picks, sources tell ESPN.

The Cleveland Cavaliers pulled off a blockbuster trade on Thursday. Instant reactions to Cavs trade with Utah Jazz for Donovan Mitchell.

The Jazz now have 13 premium first-round picks as well as a collection of veterans and young prospects to build with. For a few moments, that was all that the world had, and Cavs fans waited with held breath for the rest of the trade information. A Memphis Grizzlies-like jump up the standings is not out of the question. Collin Sexton signed a four-year, $72 million deal with the Jazz as part of a sign-and-trade. Perhaps that is why the Cleveland Cavaliers and Utah Jazz waited until September 1st to execute a blockbuster of a trade. That opened the door for another team to jump into the fray, and jump they did.

New York believes it can keep Barrett, who agreed to a four-year extension, and still end up with Mitchell.

So if you want that third guy next to Mitchell and Brunson, unless you think Randle has it in him, that leaves Barrett's potential All-Star development as New York's swing factor in developing a true Big 3. [New York Knicks](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/NY/new-york-knicks/) are reportedly [finalizing a four-year contract extension](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/rj-barrett-extension-knicks-finalizing-deal-worth-up-to-120m-complicating-donovan-mitchell-pursuit/) for [RJ Barrett](/nba/players/3041122/r-j-barrett/) that could be worth up to $120 million. This becomes a potential avenue for Mitchell to end up in New York without the Knicks having to give up Barrett or relent on their draft-pick protections, with the Lakers possibly becoming involved in a three- or even four-team deal. It's a smart move for the Knicks to keep Barrett. Either way, Barrett signing a long-term extension with the Knicks doesn't appear to have killed the possibility of Mitchell ending up in New York. [Lakers](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/LAL/los-angeles-lakers/)' 2027 and 2029 first-round picks, as he should be.

Sixers' Eastern Conference rival, the Wizards, were believed to be in on the Donovan Mitchell sweepstakes.

A Sixers rival, the [New York Knicks](http://si.com/nba/knicks), were regarded as the favorite to land Mitchell as they had interest and the assets the Jazz desired. Last season, the Wizards finished 12th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 35-47. Per Mayo, the unknown offer was believed to be a strong one from the Wizards’ end, and Washington believed they were “firmly in the hunt” for Mitchell. Not too long after the Knicks inked Barrett to an extension, the Washington Wizards were linked to Mitchell as a potential trade destination. [Utah Jazz](http://si.com/nba/jazz) proves that the Durant situation was only an exception. As we know now, talks between the Sixers and the Nets didn’t go very far, and at this point, the Durant sweepstakes are over without a trade.

It's been months of wondering where Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell would be starting the 2022-23 season, but all that speculation came to an end on ...

As trade talks started to heat up throughout the summer, it appeared the New York Knicks were the frontrunners to acquire one of the NBA's top scorers. [Cleveland Cavaliers](/basketball/nba/teams/cleveland-cavaliers/) in a blockbuster, and somewhat surprising, trade that sent three players and three unprotected first-round picks to the Jazz. [Donovan Mitchell](/basketball/nba/players/donovan-mitchell/879707) will start the 2022-23 season, but all that speculation came to an end on Thursday.

Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell drives on Knicks forward RJ Barrett. With Mitchell headed to Cleveland, Barrett and the Knicks will look to continue to build with ...

It will be hard to watch the Cavs next season, to watch Mitchell thrive on a team that should fight for a top-five seed while the Knicks claw towards the play-in. The Cavs were in position to go all-in to get Mitchell because they spent the last four years drafting smart and trading shrewdly, building a team that was a Mitchell-level player away from being a contender. The Knicks have Brunson, a budding scorer in Dallas anxious for a bigger role. It’s that while Mitchell pushes the Cavs closer to a championship level, the cost of a Mitchell deal, long term, could have set the Knicks back. The Knicks have good young players. Would the Knicks have been better than the 37-win team that missed the playoffs last season? For decades the Knicks have been searching for basketball’s silver bullet, signing mediocre players to bloated contracts, dumping draft picks in ill-advised trades. Which may give the Knicks more staying power. That opened the door for Cleveland, a surprise play-in entry last season, to swoop in and make a deal. Would they have made the playoffs in a suddenly loaded Eastern Conference? [replied “SO TOUGH”](https://www.si.com/nba/2022/09/01/lebron-james-reacts-to-cavaliers-trading-for-donovan-mitchell)—a long, athletic front line and still solid supporting cast, have the pieces for a deep playoff run. The Cavs, armed with one of the NBA’s best backcourts—LeBron James, responding to a tweet about how tough a Mitchell-Darius Garland backcourt would be,

The Donovan Mitchell trade awoke the NBA offseason from its slumber and impacted many teams around the league. Who won and who lost?

Between the Milwaukee Bucks and reigning conference champion Boston Celtics, not to mention Kevin Durant patching things up with the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers, the East is stacked. Utah’s fire sale puts them in the cellar of the conference along with the rebuilding Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets. Sure, James won a title with the Lakers in the bubble, but where are they now? Mitchell is a longtime fan of the New York Mets, but trade rumors stirred again when he [attended a game](https://twitter.com/ClutchPointsApp/status/1543307473536405505?s=20&t=cl65WuOHqFWU7OdJ0GVyaA) at Citi Field this summer. In Thursday's “Spida” deal, the Jazz received three unprotected first-round picks and two pick swaps. Now that the dust has settled and "Spida" will begin spinning his web in the Eastern Conference, who emerged as winners after the deal?

We round up a series of reports outlining what New York had been willing to give up for Mitchell.

Still, there’s a pretty consistent message that the Knicks were, at the very least, willing to trade Barrett, two unprotected first-round picks, and some additional draft compensation for Mitchell. It’s worth noting that the Knicks themselves are likely to be one of the primary sources leaking these after-the-fact details. That’s a little hard to believe, given how many different versions of deals the two sides discussed, but it sounds like New York wasn’t interested in adding the second-year guard as a sweetener to offers that already included Barrett and significant draft capital. [Obi Toppin](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/t/toppiob01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-), [Mitchell Robinson](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/robinmi01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-) (via sign-and-trade), and three unprotected first-round picks. “They held back on best offers of picks and players and Danny got his three unprotected.” However, New York felt that price was too steep and decided to extend Barrett instead. [Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News](https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/ny-donovan-mitchell-trade-cleveland-cavaliers-20220901-hrblkblupfgxrgng6zmgmst2ra-story.html): Here’s what a few key national and local reporters are saying: [via Twitter](https://twitter.com/NYPost_Berman/status/1565448351805489155)) that the Knicks withheld Grimes from all of their offers. [Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports](https://sports.yahoo.com/donovan-mitchell-joins-ambitious-cavaliers-after-knicks-balk-at-parting-with-rj-barrett-quentin-grimes-234146474.html): [RJ Barrett](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/barrerj01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-), the Knicks balked at including [Quentin Grimes](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/grimequ01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-) in a package that already featured Barrett, two unprotected first-round picks, the Bucks’ 2025 first-rounder (top-four protected), two second-round picks, two pick swaps, and a pair of expiring contracts from a third team. [Marc Berman of The New York Post](https://nypost.com/2022/09/01/jazz-trade-donovan-mitchell-to-cavaliers-as-knicks-dream-dies/):

Donovan Mitchell was traded from the Utah Jazz to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, we take a look at how this trade affects the Milwaukee Bucks.

What does Donovan Mitchell coming over to the Cavaliers mean for their head to head matchups with the Milwaukee Bucks? So Donovan Mitchell being traded to the Cavaliers means that the Milwaukee Bucks will have to face Mitchell twice as often, going from twice a year as a member of the Utah Jazz in the Western Conference, to now four times this season as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Bucks and new look Cavaliers will be well acquainted early in the season, two matchups in Milwaukee will take place on November 16th and 25th, with the other two matchups coming on December 21st and January 21st, those two games in Cleveland. Collin Sexton is a solid player and I’ll admit I’m happy to see Markkanen go because his size was effective guarding Khris Middleton for stretches when the Bucks and Cavaliers played. What does that have to do with the Milwaukee Bucks? It was announced Thursday that Donovan Mitchell was indeed traded, not to the New York Knicks as previously rumored, but to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Sources: The Cleveland Cavaliers are trading Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, three first-round picks and two pick swaps to the Utah Jazz for ...

[Malik Beasley](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/malik-beasley-yfU5XpdFccfejw6f/) and [Talen Horton-Tucker](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/talen-horton-tucker-BTRutYr7uDmgEReU/) are around. But defensively, they have [Evan Mobley](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/evan-mobley-W7q1n9hiubBbXJMk/) and [Jarrett Allen](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/jarrett-allen-52csaKyJnLhhpzzw/) behind them and Cleveland zips past the Knicks with this trade. The Jazz would likely have had to take back bad money in the deal in the form of The Jazz also exit the offseason with two members of the 2022 NBA Draft’s first round in Agbaji, and Surely the Jazz would want to see what they have in Agbaji, but people like Clarkson, [Bojan Bogdanovic](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/bojan-bogdanovic-TtD4HPxVGnoaeLuy/), guard [Mike Conley](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/mike-conley-ATGxUh1i1HZNS4FM/) and guard [Jordan Clarkson](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/jordan-clarkson-lZN2TqEprnwssIGM/). The Jazz liked that offer but wanted to continue negotiating with the Knicks, with whom they were still in talks. The negotiation with the Knicks had been a long and winding road that led to nowhere. Even as negotiations broke off Monday night, sources say the Knicks believed the Jazz would come back to the table, with the belief that the Knicks had the best package for Mitchell, coupled with the belief that the Jazz had no other options on the market. The Knicks were seen as heavy favorites to land Mitchell, and as perhaps the only team in the league with the kind of assets capable of prying him from the Jazz. [Julius Randle](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/julius-randle-ZOBqK4RMFKL7YI2Q/), [their power forward who is from the Dallas area](https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine/status/1515394406349774852?s=20&t=KBwBxb88PfWx06E_u52hDQ). From the Cavs, the Jazz will receive the kind of package they had been seeking for much of the negotiation with the Knicks.

The Eastern Conference just got a whole lot better. Coming off of a surprising season that saw them win 44 games and compete for a playoff spot, ...

Garland, Mitchell and Allen recently signed extensions, and Mobley will be under team control for nearly a decade. Basically, the Eastern Conference is going to be a dog fight. Allen, 24, and Mitchell, 25, are the oldest of the group, and yet they're both under 26. Garland proved to be one of the best point guards in the NBA last season and won't turn 23 years old until January. [doesn't exactly have the best defensive reputation](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/mavericks-jazz-luka-doncic-nba-playoff-defense/zrj7wggrryez7rxvwvbie7sd) — neither does Garland for that matter — he's now going to be playing next to not one, but two elite defenders in the frontcourt. Again, they're losing a lot of size in swapping the 6-foot-11 Markkanen for the 6-foot-1 Mitchell, but Mobley and Allen were the primary reason they were so stingy on that end of the court. The Heat will probably feel the loss of PJ Tucker, but count them out at your own risk. Markkanen gave the Cavaliers size and shooting, but Mitchell is a far superior shooter and an elite on-ball creator. Defensively, the Cavaliers were dominant last season. Garland filling the point guard duties will allow Mitchell to do what he does best — get buckets. [20th out of 30 teams in offensive efficiency](http://nba.com/stats/teams/advanced/?sort=OFF_RATING&dir=-1&Season=2021-22&SeasonType=Regular%20Season) last season. Garland and Allen were both named All-Stars last season while Mobley finished second in Rookie of Year voting.

The Jazz officially entered full rebuild mode after sending All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell to the Cavaliers for Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, ...

But if the Spurs wanted to package their pick with the Hornets pick and one of Atlanta's future first-rounders, they could make an enticing deal to try and acquire the first overall pick next season. [that deal looks even better considering the state of affairs in Brooklyn](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/nets-future-draft-picks-kevin-durant-trade-request-rockets-james-harden/xckhkkk5wr7j1vmxlcg1dz2k), where Harden no longer plays. At the time, their return of three first-round picks and four first-round pick swaps already seemed like a great return for a player who no longer had an interest in playing for the franchise. It only took one offseason for him to completely blow up everything Utah previously had in place. Acquiring a combined seven first-round picks and two pick swaps in trades for those two All-Stars, the Jazz now have a serious war chest of draft capital to play with when it comes to making an offer to land next year's No. But the Thunder could get really reckless (shrewd?) and offer a trade that other franchises simply cannot match. I can't think of a better way to maximize their assets than packaging as many picks as it takes to ensure they land Wembanyama with the No. 1 pick, the team that finished with the worst record has yet to win the lottery. Without getting too lost in the weeds of protections, here's a closer look at the four leading contenders to land 2023's ultimate prize.e With all of that being said, it's no longer as simple as trying to tank your way to the No. In 2019, the Pelicans won the lottery with a long shot six percent chance. You could make an argument for Zion Williamson or Anthony Davis, but Wembanyama certainly has a case as the most-hyped NBA prospect since LeBron James.

Cleveland is reportedly trading Collin Sexton, Ochai Agbaji, Lauri Markkanen and loads of draft capital to Utah.

[Mike Conley](/nba/players/1231861/mike-conley/), who turns 35 next month, is not part of the Jazz's long-term plans. Utah picked up another first in the deal that sent [Royce O'Neale](/nba/players/1904267/royce-oneale/) to the [Brooklyn Nets](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/BKN/brooklyn-nets/). And in a trade with the [Los Angeles Lakers](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/LAL/los-angeles-lakers/), it turned veteran [Patrick Beverley](/nba/players/1685200/patrick-beverley/), acquired from the Timberwolves, into 21-year-old [Talen Horton-Tucker](/nba/players/3042589/talen-horton-tucker/). Neither is [Bojan Bogdanovic](/nba/players/1831131/bojan-bogdanovic/), who will turn 34 during next season's playoffs. As Daryl Morey [likes](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/23512917/how-daryl-morey-obsession-james-harden-pitches-built-houston-rockets-nba) to [say](https://www.si.com/nba/2022/04/15/james-harden-joel-embiid-philadelphia-76ers-nba-playoffs), though, you can't just go into the superstar store and pick the one you want. Maybe this means [Caris LeVert](/nba/players/2019069/caris-levert/), acquired in a midseason trade with the [Indiana Pacers](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/IND/indiana-pacers/), will be the Cavs' long-term sixth man; maybe it means he'll be moved before this year's deadline. [Walker Kessler](/nba/players/3178012/walker-kessler/), picked No. [Isaac Okoro](/nba/players/3147993/isaac-okoro/) can still be considered part of the core. [NBA](/nba) (111 points per 100 possessions) and were absolutely horrendous (103 per 100) when Garland was off the court. [per ESPN](https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1565428199646969857). Garland is ascending, and is equally dangerous with and without the ball. The three-time All-Star guard is going to Cleveland in exchange for a package centered around draft picks and young players.

On paper, the Cavs are going to be one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference. They have a superstar, two rising stars, and one of the most underrated ...

In what was widely considered a “down” season for Mitchell last year, he still averaged 26 points, five assists, and four rebounds on 45 percent shooting from the field and 36 percent shooting from 3-point range. Not only will the Cavs improve as the season unravels, but there’s a chance we may be on the verge of seeing the best version of Mitchell ever. Oh, and they’re all under the age of 25.

Instead, the three-time All-Star was traded to the Cavaliers in a stunning deal ahead of the 2022-23 NBA season.

The Knicks even had the assets the Jazz " [preferred](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34502825/sources-cleveland-cavaliers-trade-3-first-round-picks-two-swaps-utah-jazz-star-donovan-mitchell)" in a trade. However, the Knicks weren't prepared to give up the slew of picks the Jazz were looking for and " [balked](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34502825/sources-cleveland-cavaliers-trade-3-first-round-picks-two-swaps-utah-jazz-star-donovan-mitchell)" on including Quentin Grimes in a trade with RJ Barrett. Again, Utah wanted more — one more unprotected pick, multiple draft swaps and possibly another young player, per Charania. [Did Cavaliers or Jazz win Donovan Mitchell trade?](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/donovan-mitchell-trade-grades-cavaliers-jazz/ocfrkgzxiaphqpdrs71aizeh) [According to Wojnarowski](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6giEYS9A_CU), the Jazz never called the Knicks back to give them a chance to top the Cavaliers' offer. Here's what we know. [revealed](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34502825/sources-cleveland-cavaliers-trade-3-first-round-picks-two-swaps-utah-jazz-star-donovan-mitchell) that the Knicks and Jazz discussed a deal in early July that would've included Barrett, Obi Toppin, Mitchell Robinson and three unprotected first-round picks.

Sixers forward Georges Niang reacted to his former teammate getting traded on Thursday.

[The Jazz sent Mitchell ](https://www.si.com/nba/76ers/news/donovan-mitchell-lands-in-sixers-conference-with-cavaliers)to the Cleveland Cavaliers. [Utah Jazz ](http://si.com/nba/jazz)could trade their star guard [Donovan Mitchell](https://www.si.com/search?query=donovan+mitchell), they finally found a trade suitor willing to part ways with a desired package. It took a while, but the Jazz finally found a package they liked. After sending Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah’s front office focused on dealing away Mitchell for a haul. [In exchange](https://www.si.com/nba/76ers/news/donovan-mitchell-trade-details-sixers-rival-cavaliers-strike), Utah landed Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, and Collin Sexton, who inked a brand new four-year deal in the process. [NBA](http://si.com/nba) fans and players, [Philadelphia 76ers](http://si.com/nba/76ers) veteran [Georges Niang](https://www.si.com/search?query=Georges+Niang) was on social media on Thursday afternoon checking out the league’s latest big move.

With Kevin Durant calling off his trade request, the NBA world turned its eyes to Utah to see what would happen to All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell.

He's also just one of seven players in NBA history to have multiple [50-point](https://stathead.com/basketball/player-game-finder.cgi?request=1&match=player_game_count_career&order_by_asc=0&order_by=name_display_csk&comp_type=post&comp_id=NBA&ccomp%5B1%5D=gt&cval%5B1%5D=50&cstat%5B1%5D=pts&season_start=1&season_end=-1) games in the postseason. It's a move most wouldn't execute unless it pushed them over the edge into title contention, something the young Cavaliers probably aren't ready for quite yet. Meanwhile, Garland should thrive as a spot-up shooter and will see his workload reduced with Mitchell, who is easily the most talented guard he's ever played beside. Thanks to this roster construction, Mitchell led the Jazz to the No. 1 seed in the conference. They can probably recoup picks down the line." Mitchell ranked in just the All are under contract or team control for at least the next two seasons, with Garland's $192.9 million extension keeping him in Cleveland until 2028. The Jazz built a strong roster around Mitchell with the game's most dominant rim protector in Rudy Gobert and shooters he could kick out to in Bojan Bogdanović, Mike Conley Jr. [was the only team](https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/advanced/?sort=DEF_RATING&dir=-1&Season=2021-22&SeasonType=Regular%20Season) that ranked in the top-10 in total defense (fifth overall, 108.9 rating) that failed to reach the playoffs. 1 ranked offense in the NBA last season ( [flirting with the idea](https://theathletic.com/3138844/2022/02/19/could-lebron-james-return-to-cleveland-again-the-doors-not-closed-on-that-he-says/) at the All-Star game.

The NBA world reacts to things on Twitter now, and that includes the surpirse blockbuster trade seinding Donovan Mitchell to the Cavaliers.

[September 1, 2022] [ rumors that the Cavaliers had talked to Utah](https://nba.nbcsports.com/2022/08/24/reports-cavaliers-have-tested-waters-of-donovan-mitchell-trade/) about a [Donovan Mitchell](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30439/donovan-mitchell) trade, but league sources still saw the Knicks as the clear frontrunner. As it does, the NBA world reacts on Twitter, starting with Mitchell’s new teammates.

Though his expected destination was the New York Knicks, Mitchell wound up joining the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Ochai ...

As it stands, the Wizards roster consists of Beal, an injury-prone Kristaps Porzingis, Corey Kispert, rookie Johnny Davis and a collection of role players. With Bradley Beal’s massive new contract and the acquisition of Monte Morris and Will Barton this summer, it is clear the Wizards are aiming to compete now, and taking a big swing on Mitchell would have been a massive step toward competing. Though his expected destination was the New York Knicks, Mitchell wound up joining the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, three unprotected first-round picks and two pick swaps.

The Donovan Mitchell experience has come to and end in Utah, and what a ride it has been.

He knew the demographic of Utah, and that the majority of people here would have issues with what he had to say. He was so energetic and happy to be around us he was a huge fan! The good times, the bad, the happy and the sad. This compilation was mostly from moments in his early years, and it gives a good idea of how many times he did this throughout his time in Utah. I could have written 3,000 words and included so many more highlights and on-court plays that Donovan Mitchell made as a Jazz man over the last 5 years. Brooks had a big game one including the win, and was letting Mitchell know. I remember being a that game 1 in person, and witnessing Donovan Mitchell on the bench talking smack with Dillon Brooks all game. It’s hard to think of Donovan Mitchell’s time in Utah and not immediately think of the insane series against the Nuggets in the 2020 bubble. A dispute between the Jazz’s medical team and Donovan Mitchell kept Spida out of game 1, which they lost to the 8-seed Grizzlies. Just the weirdest sequence of events from getting COVID, the beef with Rudy, going to the bubble, and then dropping one of the most impressive individual playoff series in NBA history. It was so much fun watching him grow and develop as a player and leader that summer with Team USA. Either way, it happened, and the Donovan Mitchell era in Utah has officially come to end.

On Thursday afternoon, the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz in exchange for Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji and ...

Trading Rudy Gogbert and Donovan Mitchell does not seem like a smart move in terms of trying to win, but looking at the big picture and what this organization could look like in 2030, the Jazz are in good shape. That is an insane amount of talent and young assets for the Jazz to bring in at the start of their rebuild and they may not be done moving talent. When this opportunity presented itself to the Cavaliers, general manager Koby Altman saw a path in which they could not only acquire an All-Star, but create an All-Star “core-four” consisting of Mitchell, Garland, Allen and Mobley. Hitting the “restart button” right now gives Utah a big opportunity to end up with the No. What this trade came down to from Cleveland’s end of things is that opportunities like this do not always present themselves to teams like the Cavaliers. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Donovan Mitchell has been traded from the Utah Jazz to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but a large portion of the ensuing discussion has surrounded a team that ...

They valued Grimes more than Quickley, and essentially New York said we'll do Quickley and RJ, but we want two unprotected picks and a protected third -- we essentially want what you want for Grimes, we want to put Quickley in that deal. The 25th overall pick in the 2021 draft, Grimes had a limited role as a rookie last season, averaging six points and two rebounds in 17 minutes per game with 40/38/68 shooting splits. That would have been two unprotected and perhaps a protected -- up to top-five protected pick. Once it became clear that Mitchell was on the market in early July, several signs pointed to the All-Star guard eventually ending up in New York. Talks stalled, however, because the Knicks didn't want to include 22-year-old guard Here's Woj with the specifics:

The Cavalier Cavaliers jumped up to o/u 48.5 wins, and Utah Jazz plummeted to o/u 25.5 after the Donovan Mitchell trade went down. Here is a look at the ...

Key additions – Full-Time Kyrie Irving (G), T.J. Barrett and the husk of Derrick Rose? And I dare say the Knicks have improved by adding Brunson. Last, and certainly least interesting, are the New York Knicks. Warren can be the kind of player he was before the foot injury and the Nets look great. The Lakers are one of the public’s favourite teams and Lebron is arguably the betting public’s favourite player. In keeping with the traditions of my people (Warriors fans), I’m fading the Lake Show hard. as no better than the 9th best team in the West. He’s joining Lebron James (not to mention Anthony Davis and Westbrook), the most imperious veteran leader in the league. But that was a squad on which PatBev was the vet. 48.5 feels like a very sharp line, and given the buzz and hype around this team now, I wouldn’t be surprised to see public money move this up by a win or two. The impact of the Mitchell move is the focus here, but there are three other teams that were off the books when I covered the rest of the NBA win totals a month ago, so let’s knock that out too.

Cleveland surprised the NBA with a blockbuster trade for the three-time All-Star.

[Royce O'Neale](/nba/players/1904267/royce-oneale/) deals, the Mitchell haul means that in this summer alone, Utah has now acquired seven unprotected first-round picks, one top-five protected first-rounder and two picks swaps. In one fell swoop, the Cavs set themselves up for both present and future success with three All-Stars (and one future All-Star) all under the age of 26. The Jazz reportedly wanted New York to swap Grimes for Quickley and/or remove the protections on the third future pick, so the deal collapsed and they moved on to Cleveland. On top of that, Utah added solid young players on friendly contracts in Sexton and Markkanen, who can either become part of the franchise's future or eventually be flipped for -- you guessed it -- more picks. When talks between New York and Utah hit an impasse (reportedly because the Knicks refused to include [Quentin Grimes](/nba/players/3042107/quentin-grimes/) in the deal), the Cavs pounced on the opportunity and positioned themselves as one of the most promising young teams in the NBA. [Darius Garland](/nba/players/3042335/darius-garland/) desperately needed help as the team's lone reliable initiator, evidenced by the Cavs' 20th-ranked offense last season, and Mitchell will immediately fill that gap. Sexton clearly had trouble coexisting with Garland in the 11 games he played last season and the Cavs had no interest in giving him the contract that Utah did, so he was essentially excised from the franchise's future plans. Each standing at 6-foot-1, Garland and Mitchell compose one of the smallest backcourts in the NBA, which will likely lead to some issues for a Cavs defense that was fifth in the league last season. Assuming health and growth for Cleveland's young stars, those unprotected first-round picks will likely be in the late teens or 20s -- not exactly the range where you're going to find an impact player for a team with deep playoff aspirations. [Kyrie Irving](/nba/players/1779901/kyrie-irving/) appears to be staying in Brooklyn. Mitchell was in better than the 80th percentile in both pick-and-roll and isolation scoring last season, according to Synergy Sports. [Kevin Durant](/nba/players/1231866/kevin-durant/) rescinded his trade request.

Just when the NBA offseason seemed quiet, the Cavaliers and Jazz made a blockbuster trade that sent three-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell to Cleveland in ...

Jones’s cover story](https://vault.si.com/vault/1974/09/02/make-it-or-break-it) sheds light not only on Knievel’s various stunts and the risks inherent in them but also the kind of person he was. … And in the other big college football game, [Sean Clifford led a game-winning drive](https://twitter.com/SInow/status/1565549298707619840?s=20&t=8FtmOpSfxTNwG7zRmOERpA) to give Penn State the win over Purdue in a back-and-forth game after [throwing his own pick-six](https://twitter.com/CFBONFOX/status/1565540546646609921?s=20&t=MgsM6mYTeICGGjLaTIM4Hg) earlier in the fourth quarter. (the exact day is tricky to figure out), Pheidippides is said to have run from Marathon to Athens, providing the inspiration for the 26.2-mile race. [Utah dealt Rudy Gobert to the Timberwolves](https://www.si.com/nba/2022/07/05/rudy-gobert-timberwolves-trade-gamble) in July. [though their odds drastically improved](https://www.si.com/betting/2022/09/01/cavaliers-title-odds-improve-donovan-mitchell-trade)), but this was the right time in Cleveland’s rebuild time line to make a big swing. … Pitt and West Virginia kicked off Week 1 in thrilling fashion with the Panthers going home victorious [thanks to this pick-six](https://twitter.com/SInow/status/1565533637419810816?s=20&t=8FtmOpSfxTNwG7zRmOERpA). … Will Laws looks at [the historic company Aaron Judge is in](https://www.si.com/mlb/2022/09/01/aaron-judge-home-run-pursuit-history) as he pushes for Roger Maris’s home run mark and whether Judge can actually hit 61. … Atlanta youngster Spencer Strider [set a franchise record](https://twitter.com/BravesOnBally/status/1565512517488623616) with 16 strikeouts in eight scoreless innings. They’ve also added a pair of ’22 first-rounders (Ochai Agbaji from the Cavs and Walker Kessler from the T-Wolves) and other young players in the process. [breaks down why Ryan Day isn’t backing down from the hype](https://www.si.com/college/2022/09/01/ohio-state-football-ryan-day-high-expectations). But after plenty of buzz about a deal to the Knicks and [even some cryptic Twitter bio changes](https://twitter.com/SInow/status/1565040472401350656/), Mitchell is off to a Cavs team coming off a surprising season in 2021–22. I can’t wait to watch a Garland-Mitchell backcourt, and Mobley has the potential to become one of the most impactful defensive players in the game.

With the Cleveland Cavaliers acquiring Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz on Thursday, the Miami Heat are yet again at a standstill during an entertaining ...

What does the Cleveland Cavaliers acquiring Donovan Mitchell mean for the Philadelphia 76ers and their future?

Ricky Rubio sent out three tweets after the Cleveland Cavaliers traded for Utah Jazz All-Star Donovan Mitchell.

The New York Knicks are "shocked and disappointed" that the Cleveland Cavaliers beat them in their pursuit of former Utah Jazz shootin.