NEWSLETTER
Can two teams “win” a trade in today’s NBA? It sure seems that way in the case of the Donovan Mitchell blockbuster between the Cavs and the Jazz. But first, let’s talk about Kyrie.
Latest on Kyrie Irving
Suspended Nets guard Kyrie Irving met with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on Tuesday in what Shams Charania called a “productive and understanding visit.” Irving is currently working through the action items set forth by the Nets that will allow him to return to play, which include:
It’s not clear where Irving stands on those action items imposed by the Brooklyn Nets, but he has missed three games — of the five minimum — in which Brooklyn has gone 2-1.
While Irving is working through the action items with the Nets and had a productive meeting with the commissioner, the National Basketball Players Association has discussed what they will do moving forward. Irving serves as one of nine members on the executive committee for the NBPA.
In that regard, it seems as though the other members of the nine-person executive committee are sticking by Irving, which makes perfect sense as a union, not an employer or business partner.
“We’re different from his employer or business partner. I think for us as a union, we have duties and responsibilities to all of our members, regardless of circumstances or situations that may occur,” McCollum said. “In this particular instance of (a) situation, Kyrie was elected in 2020 and it was a three-year term and that’s the extent of where we’re at with that.”
Early Returns: Donovan Mitchell Trade Working for Both Jazz, Cavs
Trades are often analyzed in a win-loss light, but sometimes trades work for both sides, which is what the early returns on the Donovan Mitchell trade have brought for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Utah Jazz.
Cleveland — Mitchell’s new team — is off to an 8-2 start and sits in the second slot in the Eastern Conference through their first 10 games of the season.
For the Cavaliers, Mitchell is averaging 31.2 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.1 rebounds, and is shooting 50.5 percent from the floor and 45.1 percent from three-point range.
Mitchell is on pace to return to Salt Lake City — the place where he began his career — as an All-Star this season, and the Cavs look like the Eastern Conference contender that they envisioned they would be when they sent three unprotected firsts, two pick swaps and 2022 lottery pick Ochai Agbaji to Utah in draft capital alone. Cleveland also sent Lauri Markkanen and Collin Sexton to the Jazz in the deal.
Markkanen has been the player that the Chicago Bulls thought they were getting in Utah, shooting 66.7 percent on two-point shots and averaging 21.9 points and 8.9 rebounds per contest to go along with a career-best 2.7 assists per game.
Sexton — whom the Jazz extended after the trade — has been solid in Utah thus far, averging 14.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 40 percent from deep.
The Jazz also reeled in a massive haul in the Rudy Gobert trade with Minnesota, and their rebuild is looking like one that will be more of a re-tool with their war chest of young talented players and draft capital packed to the brim. Utah is off to an 8-3 start this season.
It’s the smallest sample size, but things look pretty promising for both sides. Sometimes trades work out the way both sides envisioned, and this may be one of those times.
