Getty Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat drives to the basket against Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz during the first quarter at American Airlines Arena on February 26, 2021.
After the Miami Heat came within one game of making it to the NBA Finals, rumored reports of what the franchise may do to improve this offseason are the No. 1 topic of discussion.
While the Heat have been linked to possibly trading for Donovan Mitchell since the last offseason, after Quin Snyder stepped down as head coach for the Utah Jazz, reports linking Miami to the three-time All-Star hit a new fever pitch.
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On Sunday, June 12, those trade rumors were reignited after NBA Skills coach Chris Brickley shared photos of Heat star Jimmy Butler and Mitchell sitting next to each other at his birthday party on Instagram, pictures which quickly went viral on social media.
Jimmy Butler and Donovan Mitchell 👀
Brickley, an NBA skills coach, works intensely with both Mitchell and Butler, so it’s easy to understand why both ballers were at his party. Brickley captioned the Instagram photos, “Do everything with a good heart and expect nothing in return, and you will never be disappointed 🖤 Thank you for all the love and appreciation and texts and DMs…..more than just loved I feel truly appreciated and that’s the best gift I could ask for. Had a dope birthday ❤️.”
While Carmelo Anthony was also in attendance, seeing Butler and Mitchell all chummy definitely raised some eyebrows on social media.
A Heat fan tweeted, “Help is on the way,” while a Celtics fan got worried and wrote, “Thats not good. Smh. The East would belong to them. Boston better win this year. They will never get another chance.”
One guy tweeted, “Lol this would be funny af and ironic 😭. D wade becomes minority owner of jazz to invest with Mitchell and he ends up in Miami 😭.”
I’m sure #HeatTwitter is going to react very logically to this 👀 @hothothoops
Aside from Brickley, Dwyane Wade is another huge connection between Mitchell and Butler. While Wade is a Heat legend, whom Butler credited for giving him powerful advice during the playoffs, he’s also part-owner of the Jazz and is one of Mitchell’s most important mentors.
It’s Not Entirely Clear if the Jazz Are Willing to Part With Mitchell
GettyDonovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz dribbles during the second half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on March 20, 2022 in New York City.
While SB Nation’s official Twitter account changed its bio on Sunday, June 5, to read: “Donovan Mitchell is going to the Heat, isn’t he,” after Snyder stepped down, it’s not yet clear if the Jazz are willing to trade away one of the core members of their team.
TwitterSB Nation adjusted their official bio on Twitter on June 5, 2022.
Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer wrote on May 31 that the Heat were in the running to land Mitchell with “a potential package… that would theoretically center around Tyler Herro plus other salary and multiple first-round picks.”
However, according to a new report from The Athletic’s Tony Jones, if the Heat did make a call to Utah about the former No. 13 overall pick from the 2017 NBA Draft, it’s been denied.
Jones wrote on Sunday, June 5, “League sources say multiple teams have called the Jazz to inquire about the trade availability of Mitchell, only to be given a firm no. The Jazz have made it clear they intend on building a roster around Mitchell. The only thing that could possibly pry Mitchell from the Jazz at this point is a monstrous offer. They simply don’t have the intention of trading him.”
The Utah Jazz have rejected all trade calls regarding Donovan Mitchell, per @Tjonesonthenba
“The only thing that could possibly pry Mitchell from the Jazz at this point is a monstrous offer.”
If the Jazz want to keep Mitchell in Utah, it sounds like they’ll need to consult with the 25-year-old guard on who they hire next. Sources told ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski that following Snyder’s exit, Mitchell was “unsettled, unnerved and wondering what it means for the franchise’s future:”
Mitchell considered Snyder a significant part of his reasoning for committing to a five-year maximum contract extension in 2020, and Snyder’s decision to step away on Sunday has left Mitchell ‘surprised and disappointed,’ sources told ESPN.
Mitchell remains fond of Snyder and accepts his reasons for stepping down, but Mitchell is spending the immediate aftermath of Snyder’s decision trying to process what the coach’s loss means in the larger scope for the organization and himself, sources said.
The Jazz Invited Erik Spoelstra’s Assistant to Interview for Head Coach
The Jazz have requested permission to interview Miami Heat assistant Chris Quinn, per @wojespn
The most recent report connecting the Heat and the Jazz was not about any player trades, but Utah perhaps trying to poach Erik Spoelstra’s longest-tenured assistant, Chris Quinn.
ESPN Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted on June 8, “The Utah Jazz have requested permission to interview Miami Heat assistant Chris Quinn for franchise’s head coaching job, sources tell ESPN. Quinn also talked with Charlotte for that opening. He has spent eight seasons on Erik Spoelstra’s staff.”
Heavy’s NBA Insider, Sean Deveney, spoke to one Eastern Conference executive about the possibility of Quinn landing in Utah, and it seems the Wade connection could be crucial:
He is definitely a Dwyane Wade guy, you will be able to tell how much say Wade has by how that goes. They were teammates during Quinn’s career, and he was a grinder then as he is now as a coach. Erik Spoelstra really learned to rely on him, he was Spo’s right-hand man the last few years. Spo is one of the best, too, with working on winning and at the same time developing players, getting what you can out of them. If the Jazz want to focus on development, Quinn has got to be one of the two or three coaches they’ll take most seriously there. If he leaves, the Heat will miss him,” said the executive.
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