Following the press conference Wednesday in which he was introduced as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, former Utah Jazz All-Star Donovan Mitchell made an appearance on “The Woj Pod” with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The first part of their conversation centered on Mitchell’s five seasons with the Jazz. Here are some highlights.
On new Jazz head coach Will Hardy
“I really like Will. He’s going to do a phenomenal job over there (with the Jazz),” Mitchell said.
Mitchell recounted how he and Hardy, who had a previous relationship from time spent with USA Basketball, were in open communication throughout the summer, and they were actually together at Mitchell’s home in Connecticut when news of Rudy Gobert getting traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves broke.
On the Jazz’s front office
As he did in an interview Wednesday with ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Mitchell rejected the notion from Jazz CEO of Basketball Danny Ainge that Utah players had lost belief in each other last season.
Mitchell also said he told the front office after last season ended that he wanted to try to make things work on the court with Gobert.
“We came into the offseason (and) there were thoughts about people moving, but we didn’t think it was going to be this, Mitchell said. “We were like, ‘How can we go back and build this? How can we work and figure it out?’
“Obviously our time and our clock had run out, but I wouldn’t say that we didn’t believe in each other. I don’t think that’s fair after six months (of Ainge being with the organization).”
On Quin Snyder’s departure
“Quin was the guy that ultimately put the ball in my hand and kind of allowed me to grow to be who I am today. I’m forever thankful for him,” Mitchell said, adding that he and Snyder have spoken regularly throughout this summer.
“When you have a guy like Quin leaving a situation, it’s like, ‘OK, what’s really going to happen?’ I had no clue. I had no clue what next year looked like, let alone four years (the length of his contract). ... I think for me, losing a guy like Quin as the leader, as our coach, that was big for me, just not knowing what to expect next and how to go about it into training camp and whatnot.
“That was tough, but I always loved Quin. I appreciated Quin. Quin’s going to get another job wherever. He’s going to do an amazing job, but ultimately he needed a break.”
On what went wrong for the Jazz
Mitchell said the 8-second violation he committed toward the end of Game 1 of the Jazz’s 2020 playoff series against the Denver Nuggets still eats at him. The Jazz took Games 2, 3 and 4 before losing the next three games and the series, and he wonders what might have happened had they won Game 1.
It is how the Jazz lost to the LA Clippers in the second round of the 2021 playoffs that he said was a real turning point for the franchise, however.
“I think the Clippers loss was what really changed things for us as a group,” he said. “I could tell you right now I believe in Mike Conley, I believe in Bojan (Bogdanovic), I believe in Rudy, I believe in (Jordan Clarkson).
“I could sit here and tell you that right now, but ultimately it didn’t work. Sometimes that just happens. It just doesn’t work. Everything happens for a reason.”