Over the 2022 NBA offseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers made arguably the biggest splash of the summer when they made a big trade for former Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell.
The Cavs certainly got what they paid for when they sent over a combination of players and picks to the Jazz. Mitchell has been electric for the Cavs, and the team is currently sitting at the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Jazz, on the other hand, are having a fairly solid season themselves. Not only that, but they now also have a massive war chest of future draft picks thanks to the Mitchell deal as well as the trade that sent Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
According to Mitchell, the trade that sent him from Utah to Cleveland was a win-win for both organizations.
“I look at it as a win-win,” he said on Monday, according to Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune. “Everybody’s flourishing, doing well, happy, and sometimes a new beginning is just what you need. That’s for both sides. I don’t know what the vibe is in the locker room over there, but when I talked to the guys it just seemed like a fresh breath. Sometimes your time just runs out. I just think for me personally, I’ve said this on several occasions, I’m happy in a different way. They seem to be that as well, they’re playing well as a group. I’ve watched a bunch of games. It’s great to see both sides thriving after something that took a whole summer to kind of figure out.
For the Cavs, Mitchell has been an epiphany. He’s averaging 29.5 points, 4.6 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game. He’s also been one of the most efficient players in the league this season, hitting 50.3 percent of his shots from the field and 42.4 percent of his shots from deep.
As for the Jazz, they actually have a shot at making the playoffs this season despite trading away two stars last summer. They are currently the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference with a record of 17-15. With that in mind, they have lost nine of their last 14 games.
Still, it wasn’t really about the present for the Jazz when they decided to trade Gobert and then Mitchell. Instead, the franchise was surely looking more toward the future. Remaining relevant this season is likely a welcome surprise for the players, coaches and executives connected to the organization.
On Monday night, the two teams will face off in Cleveland. Surely, Mitchell is going to do whatever he can to make sure that the Cavs walk away from that contest with a win.
