Biggest Winners & Losers in Jazz Trading Donovan Mitchell to Cavs

The shocker of the summer is here: the blockbuster Donovan Mitchell trade between the Utah Jazz and Cleveland Cavaliers. As usual, there will be winners and losers in the wake of the tectonic transaction.

Who stands to benefit the most from the Mitchell trade? And who was hurt?

Let's dive into the biggest winners and losers of Thursday's watershed event.

Winner: Donovan Mitchell

Mitchell avoids the rebuild and he’ll be playing in games that matter. The three-time All-Star summed up his feelings in his first tweet after the trade.

“!!”

‼️ https://t.co/5lqkyvBvSP
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) September 1, 2022

The Cavaliers are set up nicely to contend for a championship for the remaining years on Mitchell’s contract, and then the ex-Jazzman can call the shots as he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2025.

Loser: Leon Rose

New York Knicks executive struck out in what should have been a layup in acquiring Mitchell. The Knicks had all the stars lined in their favor, but tripping over dollars to pick up pennies ended up backfiring on Rose when it mattered most.

The Knicks now have a core of Jalen Brunson, RJ Barrett, and Julius Randle locked up on big contracts that aren’t team-friendly. That’s not a trio that’s instilling much fear in an improved Eastern Conference. If the Knicks find themselves in the lottery again, it might cost Rose his job.

Winner: Collin Sexton

Sexton agreed to a four-year, $72 million sign-and-trade extension in order to make this all happen. The 23-year-old rising star not only got a big payday, but will be the focal point on a Jazz team that will be searching for a new identity.

It’s a great opportunity to make hay and cement his place in the league. It was no secret that Cleveland was reluctant in shelling out big bucks for a player coming off surgery for a torn meniscus, but the Jazz were willing to roll the dice on Sexton. Congratulations to the newest member of the Jazz.

Loser: Quentin Grimes

Grimes' development has been stalled because of a log jam at the guard position in New York. Unfortunately for Grimes, this might not change heading into the 2022-23 season.

The Jazz were set up perfectly for Grimes to showcase his talents, but that will have to wait until the Knicks can maneuver their roster to create a path for him to get starter minutes.

Winner: Danny Ainge

Ainge has been able to acquire six unprotected first-round picks, one unprotected pick, and three pick swaps for Rudy Gobert and Mitchell. Not to mention a plethora of prospects including Jarred Vanderbilt, Walker Kessler (2022 first-rounder), Ochai Agbagi (2022 first-rounder), and locking up Sexton for four years. “

'Trader Danny' lived up to his nickname and was able to obtain more than Jazz fans could have ever hoped for when this offseason began.

Loser: New York Knicks Fans

New York Knicks fans flooded social media about how they had the leverage to obtain Mitchell at a discount. The tables can turn pretty quick in the NBA, and a cold piece of humble pie has been dished out on a silver platter.

The Knicks will now have to wait three years on the possibility of acquiring Mitchell again, and that’s if the Cavaliers don’t lock him up before then. The trend of re-signing All-Star talent the year before they hit the market has thinned out free-agent opportunities, and it could be a while before the Knicks get a 'face of the franchise' player.

There will be a domino effect when the dust settles over the next couple weeks. Keep your social media alerts on high as it all unfolds.

And keep it locked with us here at the Frozen Rope.

Follow Patrick on Twitter @pbyrnesNBA.

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