Jazz All-Star Donovan Mitchell Slammed by ESPN Analyst
The opinions on the Donovon Mitchell saga keep rolling in from the mainstream media. The latest was ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins' turn on the popular morning show 'First Take.'
The question came up whether Mitchell is the type of player that a franchise could build around, and the always opinionated Perkins didn’t hold back.
“It’s no disrespect to Donovan Mitchell…But is he a number one option type guy, is he a guy that can take your franchise to the NBA Finals and possibly win a championship? Hell no!”
It's a question that the New York Knicks and Utah Jazz are asking themselves behind closed doors, and if you take a peek at the best players of the last 10 NBA champions, it’s hard to argue Perkins’ point.
- 2022 Stephen Curry
- 2021 Giannis Antetokounmpo
- 2020 Lebron James
- 2019 Kawhi Leonard
- 2018 Stephen Curry/Kevin Durant
- 2017 Stephen Curry/Kevin Durant
- 2016 Lebron James
- 2015 Stephen Curry
- 2014 Kawhi Leonard
- 2013 Lebron James
- 2012 Lebron James
When was the last time a team won a championship without a top-5 player on their roster?
You have to go all the way back to 2004 when Chauncey Billups led the Detroit Pistons to an NBA title.
Now, the counter to Perkins’ take is there are not enough First-Team All-NBA players to go around to the 30 franchises. Most teams (including the Knicks and Jazz) have to settle and build around players that are in that top 15-25 range.
This is the dilemma the Jazz face.
Do you build around Mitchell and stay competitive, or do you break it down hoping you get lucky and hit a home run as the Milwaukee Bucks did with Giannis Antetokounmpo. There’s a fine line between competing for a championship every year like the Bucks, or being the next Sacramento Kings.
If you believe the rumors, it appears that Jazz executive Danny Ainge has made his choice, and he’s picking the right year to be in the lottery.
Three players are entering next year’s draft who can turn a franchise around. Nick Smith, Scott Henderson, and Victor Wembanyama are all No. 1 pick-caliber players. Finishing as a bottom-3 team would give the Jazz about a 40% chance of landing a top-3 pick.
If the Jazz are going to tank, they have to jump in with both feet, and it looks like this is Ainge’s plan. We’re talking full tank mode and staring at the possibility of winning under 20 games in 2022-23.
Jazz nation is on pins and needles as the summer unfolds, but if the team is ever going to get a First-Team All-NBA player on its roster, this is going to give them the best shot.
Stay tuned.
Follow Patrick on Twitter @pbyrnesNBA.
