Here's Why Jazz Would be Unwise to Trade Donovan Mitchell or Rudy Gobert
With no head coach or first-round draft picks in the upcoming NBA draft, Utah Jazz fans are experiencing some anxiety. What avenues are available for this team to improve itself?
Sure, multiple teams could use the services of the three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert and only a few clubs would turn their nose up at the amazing skill set of the three-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell.
But how would trading Gobert and/or Mitchell help the Jazz now or in the future? The answer is, it wouldn't. Let's break it down.
When entering player trade negotiations, teams consider the totality of their asset(s). We have seen countless mistakes made by NBA executives, thinking they were making the right decision via trade. The harsh reality is, most of the time, trades don't work out for all parties involved.
Based on NBA All-Star selections, Gobert and Mitchell are two of the top-24 players in the world, and both are under contract with the Jazz. Surely, the Jazz organization understands the leverage it has before considering any trade.
The dilemma is this: how do you obtain equal value for Gobert and/or Mitchell on the trade market? For now, I don't think you can garner equal value for Gobert or Mitchell.
That means trading either should be completely off the table — for now.
Consider that there are 30 teams in the NBA with 12-15 players per team. That adds up to 450 players, and when it comes to the league's elite 5% of players, the Jazz boast two of them.
Utah should move forward with its current foundation, hire the right head coach, and continue to build for its future.
Maybe something changes. But for now, there are no rumored trades involving Mitchell or Gobert where the upside gain would outweigh the downside loss.
