Why The Utah Jazz Do The Deal
This is certainly not the Donovan Mitchell deal that most fans are expecting to see this summer. Most are expecting them to overhaul the roster – this is akin to a soft reset.
Whether it appeals to Danny Ainge will depend on his assessment of Ben Simmons. It’s worth noting that Simmons is actually a year older than Mitchell – this is hardly a rebuilding measure.
At the same time, it does equip the Jazz with two new unprotected first-round picks and a distant swap. Paired with the draft capital they received from the Timberwolves, that puts the Jazz in an interesting position:
They could remain competitive under Simmons while still boasting one of the league’s more impressive collections of draft capital.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Donovan Mitchell, Brooklyn Nets & Utah Jazz Updates
This may not be the route forward that general manager Danny Ainge prefers. On the other hand, it is an interesting one. It would put his Jazz in a position to do something no other team has done to date: properly build a team around Ben Simmons.
