A smoother Jazz this time?

Unmanned at the corner, Bojan Bogdanovic aimed for a game winning three but he misfired, and with it came Utah’s third consecutive exit from the first round series of the playoffs.  The team, which at the beginning of the NBA season was thought by many as built to win needs an overhaul and rumors abound as to who’s staying or leaving.

First off is Donovan Mitchell.  The scoring guard reportedly has a big market team interested in his services.  Mitchell himself fanned the rumor when he that that his “mindset is to win”.

The big market team is none other than the New York Knicks (not exactly a winning team) and Mitchell, a New York native, has strong connections to the Big Apple.  His dad is an executive with baseball’s New York Mets and NYK general manager Leon Rose was his former agent.  The Marites in this part of the planet say that he’ll be in a Knicks uniform when the 2022-2023 NBA season opens.

Utah’s other star that’s not exactly in tune with Mitchell reportedly told the Jazz that they either trade him or Mitchell.  Rudy Gobert obviously feels that their pairing won’t bring the rings for the Jazz and he won’t be waiting for Mitchell to make his decision.

Gobert’s numbers had been consistent and it was reported that at least one Western Conference power will pay good money for him.  His defense is still tops but he has to develop some kind of a shooting style as most of his points are assisted.   

Mitchell on the other hand had regressed a bit, especially his explosiveness, doing fewer attacks to the basket.  He had settled for jumpers, which greatly improved his shooting. 

It is more likely that the Jazz will find a deal for Gobert, who’s 29.  At the moment, he’s at his peak and probably had plateaued and there’s no where else to go after this but decline.

At 25, Mitchell has the upside and it is more likely that Utah will look for the personnel that will surround him and hopefully have the team move up to at least the second round of the playoffs.   Besides, he has three more years remaining on his contract.

Probably Rudy Gay or perhaps Jordan Clarkson could be included in the Gobert deal.

As to coach Quinn Snyder, which was also rumored to be on the chopping block,  the team reportedly said that they will let Snyder decide on his future.