Up to this point in the NBA offseason, the Utah Jazz have been public about their desire to keep guard Donovan Mitchell despite trading fellow All-Star Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Could that desire be changing?
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Twitter Tuesday, the Jazz “are showing a willingness to listen on possible trade scenarios,” rival teams say.
Wojnarowski added that, like for Gobert, the asking price for Mitchell “appears to be steep,” but “the Jazz are no longer simply dismissing calls on Mitchell.”
Wojnarowski concluded Tuesday by writing, “The Jazz are open to trades across the entire roster too.”
After previously shutting down inquiries on moving All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell, rival teams say the Utah Jazz are showing a willingness to listen on possible trade scenarios, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 12, 2022
Just last Saturday, Jazz general manager Justin Zanik said during a Zoom call with reporters, “Look, if you had asked me three months ago about anyone on the roster or any sort of change, change is inevitable in the NBA. I’m not trying to be cryptic or anything else, but Donovan is on our roster and he is a very important part of what we are trying to do.
“Things evolve in the NBA so I couldn’t sit here and say anyone is (untouchable). We are trying to build a championship team, but there is no intent there at all (to trade Mitchell).”
Mitchell, 25, is a three-time NBA All-Star. He will be entering the second year of a five-year contract extension he signed in late 2020, the final year of which is a player option.
On SportsCenter Tuesday, Wojnarowski said that Utah’s “willingness to listen to overtures on Donovan Mitchell” is due to “the return they got on Rudy Gobert was significant, essentially five first-round picks.”
Wojnarowski said it would take a “significant offer” to get Mitchell.