NBA Trade Rumors: Donovan Mitchell Linked to Heat After Jazz’s 1st-Round Exit

The Miami Heat have reportedly emerged
as a “smart landing spot” for Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell if
he’s traded during the 2022 NBA offseason.

Marc Berman of the New York Post
reported Friday the presence of Dwyane Wade as part of Utah’s
ownership group could play a key role in negotiations since the
longtime Heat superstar maintains “strong connections” to his former team.

Mitchell and the Jazz were eliminated
from the playoffs by the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night,
jump-starting trade rumors that will likely linger throughout the
summer.

It’s been less than 24 hours since Utah’s season ended, so a lot of things could change over the next few
months, but as it stands the return of both Mitchell and center Rudy
Gobert to open the 2022-23 season would qualify as a surprise.

The Jazz have reached the postseason
six straight times, including all five years since Mitchell arrived
alongside Gobert, but they’ve never advanced beyond the second round
of the playoffs.

Add in a history of drama between the
franchise’s two cornerstone players, and all signs suggest it’s time
for the front office to shake up the core.

At the outset, it appears Gobert is the
player who could be on the move.

Tony Jones of The Athletic reported that there are already “multiple teams” lining up as potential suitors
for the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and that the Jazz are
entering the offseason with a stance they “want to keep Mitchell.”

The one thing that could change that
stance would be if Mitchell requests a trade. The three-time All-Star wasn’t ready to
discuss the future in the immediate aftermath of Thursday’s loss,
though. He told reporters:

“I’m a competitor, and I feel like
if you give us another crack at it, we can go get it. But in the same
token, there’s things that could change. I’m not ready to discuss
that, to be honest with you right now. I’m not. Mentally, I’m just
not in that headspace, to be completely honest with you. I’m really
not. To me, it sucks, yo. If you ask me that in a week, maybe, but
right now I’m not in a headspace to answer that for you.”

Going to the Heat would allow him to
join a ready-made title contender, but Miami would have to work
through the financial intricacies of getting his five-year, $163
million contract to fit within the cap.

The Heat would surely have plenty of
competition for Mitchell if he does hit the trade block, too. So how
much Wade’s influence could impact a potential deal is hard to
quantify.

One thing’s for sure: It’s setting up
to become a franchise-altering summer in Utah.