The Jazz lost an epic battle with the Golden Nuggets in the bubble playoffs. Donovan Mitcell averaged 36.3 points, 5 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 52.91 TP3T shooting percentage and 51.61 TP3T three-point shooting percentage, which made the team more established. As a core cornerstone, he was immediately offered a five-year, 170 million contract outside the season. Jordan Clarkson, the bench musketeer who averaged 16.7 points per game in the playoffs, also reached a four-year, 52 million contract with the Jazz on the first day of the free market, and old player Derrick Favors also returned to the Jazz (three years, 27 million).
Should Rudy Gobert be re-signed?
The relationship between Mitchell and Gobert is the biggest concern for the Jazz. After the epidemic, the conflict between Mitchell and Gobert broke out. ESPN published a report in August that discussed the relationship between Rudy Gobert and Domovan Mitchell in great detail. complex. The general idea is that Gobert caused Mitchell to get Covid-19, which was just the trigger. In the past, there was a deep knot between him due to various issues such as ball rights, Gobert's personality similar to the team's senior, direct requests to brush his statistics, and who is the team's signature.
The article mentioned that every time Gobert didn't get the ball, he would directly ask his teammates to pass the ball, and the explanation was not to share, but to ask his teammates not to do it themselves, and Mitchell is the main ball handler of the Jazz, which makes his role very embarrassing. During a post-game interview with the media, Gobert shouted "Please pass more penalty kicks to me" as he passed by and often talked about how Mitchell would have more spotlight after joining. According to Jazz insiders, Gobert clearly expressed He is unhappy that Mitchell has a sneaker contract and more endorsements, but he denies it himself.
According to reports, Mitchell was diagnosed again and was really upset with Gobert. He refused to answer calls and messages. Before the team was going to conduct a team video conference, Gobert told his teammates that it would be uncomfortable and weird if they didn't talk to Mitchell first. In the end, Joe Ingles jumped Come out as peacemaker and let Gobert and Mitchell talk. Interestingly, Gobert said a lot to the media that we are all good, while Mitchell only said in an interview that "Right now, we're good" and refused to go into more details.
At least in the playoffs, it seems that their relationship is okay. Gobert's role on the court is very simple, but also very powerful. He is the strongest rim protector in the league. In addition to his remarkable statistics, he also gives opponents an invisible threat. Sensibility is Gobert's biggest role, and the defensive stability Gobert can provide in the playoffs is irreplaceable. If Mitchell is not dissatisfied and Gobert is willing to adapt to the situation and reduce the price slightly, then the Jazz have no reason not to renew the contract.
A gamble on trading Buddy Hield?
In the playoffs showdown with the Golden Nuggets, the Jazz ran out of energy in the late stages. Mitchell broke out in the early stages of the series, but Jamal Murray broke out in the late stages, and Mitchell was unable to follow up. Mike Conley also averaged 19.8 points per game, but the Jazz were Without a shooter who can be a scoring threat, the return of Bojan Bogdanović, who had 20.2 points and 41.41 TP3T three-point shooting percentage this season, will be the answer, but if there is a chance to get another offensive artillery, why not?
According to multiple media reports, Buddy Hield was dissatisfied with the team only giving him a sixth man role, and his relationship with Kings head coach Luke Walton was irreversible. Hield also rejected his calls and liked reports that he was traded. , and this is a great opportunity for each team to take advantage of the situation.
Hield is only 27 years old, which is the age that the Jazz's aging lineup needs. Joe Ingles, Bogdanovic and Favors are already over 30 years old.
But if they want to trade Hield, the Jazz must pay a lot of chips. Conley's expiration date is an incentive, and the Kings also need a senior veteran to assist De'Aaron Fox.
But this also means that the Jazz must boldly put Mitchell on the ball. However, Hield is the league's top shooter, and his various shooting shots are full of power. Whether it is a large lineup with Gobert sitting in the penalty area and the other four players stretching, or Mitchell serving as an arrow. Hield will get enough shooting gaps by absorbing monsters, and the defensive part should not be a big problem in Snyder's system.
It's hard to say whether the Kings will really accept the package from the Jazz. For the Jazz, trading Hield is basically a desperate move. Whether they can get along well with Mitchell and Gobert is something they need to worry about, but the current Jazz is indeed different. Catalyst for playoff push.
