Getty Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz dribbles the ball down court against Dwight Powell #7 of the Dallas Mavericks and Jalen Brunson #13 of the Dallas Mavericks in Game Five of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Center on April 25, 2022.
With the NBA Draft just two days away, and one of the Miami Heat‘s biggest tradeable assets being their first-round pick, rumored reports regarding the team making a move for a big name are in overdrive.
While it’s hard to predict what Miami will ultimately do, ever since Pat Riley became team president in 1995, the Heat have rarely held onto their first-round picks. Miami “exited the draft without a first-rounder in 2021, 2018, 2016, 2013, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2006, 2000, and 1998,” as reported by Sun Sentinel‘s Ira Winderman.
If the Heat choose to swing for the fences to land an All-Star like Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell, NBC Sports analyst Jason Parker offered up a viable proposal.
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“Aside from the fact that Miami couldn’t get past the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, it’s obvious the main thing the Heat have to do if they want to sniff the title round again: get another superstar player to help the team’s current star, forward Jimmy Butler,” Parker wrote on Monday, June 20.
Jimmy Butler and Donovan Mitchell 👀
“Butler was arguably the best player in this year’s playoffs – singlehandedly keeping Miami from getting knocked out in the conference semifinals against Philadelphia and in his amazing 47-point effort to force a deciding game against Boston,” Parker continued.
Amid the speculation over which players Miami could add to perfectly complement Butler, “The Heat would have to trade the No. 27 pick this Thursday along with likely at least three players,” in order to snag Mitchell.
In addition to their first-round pick, the Heat would need to offer up “the combination of guards Tyler Herro and Max Strus along with forward Duncan Robinson.”
Thus Far, Trade Proposals to Land Donovan Have Been Rejected by the Jazz
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.
Parker’s trade offer is not dissimilar from what Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer proposed last month. 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, The Athletic’s Tony Jones subsequently distinguished the momentum leading up to the Heat possibly trading for Donovan, noting that 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.
Heat’s Head Coach Said He Wants to Keep the Core Roster Intact for Next Season
GettyHead Coach Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat looks on against the Boston Celtics during the second quarter in Game Four of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden on May 23, 2022.
While such restructuring decisions include the input of Riley, the front office, and owner Micky Arison, if it was up to Heat’s head coach Erik Spoelstra, there wouldn’t be any major changes from the team’s core group of players.
“Look at the history of how we’ve done things since Pat and Micky have created this culture,” Spoelstra said during his final press conference of the season. “Anytime we’re close and have banged on the door, even if it ended in a disappointing loss, our history has shown that we usually bring the majority of the group back, the core back, and we take another shot at it.”
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NBC Sports Analyst Offers Trade Proposal for Heat to Land Jazz All-Star