Donovan Mitchell, a three-time All-Star guard, was sought extensively by the Cleveland Cavaliers, who eventually acquired him in a trade with Utah Jazz on Thursday, sources told ESPN after the New York Knicks momentarily withdrew from negotiations Monday night.
According to reports, the Cavaliers are trading for Mitchell with the Jazz in exchange for guard Collin Sexton, rookie wing Ochai Agbaji, forward Lauri Markkanen, three unprotected first-round selections (2025, 2027, and 2029), and two pick swaps (2026 and 2028).
According to Rich Paul, CEO of Klutch Sports, Sexton has agreed to a four-year, $72 million sign-and-trade deal to join the Jazz.
Adding Donovan Mitchell to a lineup that already features two 2022 All-Stars — guard Darius Garland and center Jarrett Allen — and Rookie of the Year runner-up Evan Mobley, who seems destined to become an All-NBA player, the deal makes the Cavaliers an Eastern Conference contender with the potential to last.
Cleveland Cavaliers Capture Utah Jazz Star Donovan Mitchell:
Utah has 13 first-round picks that are unprotected or only lightly protected through 2029 and two first-round picks in 2022, such as Kansas’ Agbaji and 7-footer Walker Kessler, who joined the team with four first-round picks from Minnesota. The team is reshaping its roster following the offseason transactions of All-Star Rudy Gobert and now Donovan Mitchell.
Utah may be getting close to an Oklahoma City-like collection of draught assets if negotiations to offload veterans like Bojan Bogdanovic, Jordan Clarkson, and Mike Conley are allowed to proceed.
Koby Altman, the basketball operations president for Cleveland, had been in talks with the Jazz through last week, but sources say he halted those discussions on Friday because the two teams could not agree. But according to insiders, Altman reopened the conversation with Utah operations manager Justin Zanik on Tuesday morning. They had a contract for Mitchell within 48 hours.
