The Miami Heat offseason is truly here! You know that because the annual Donovan Mitchell trade rumors have officially hit the streets and Miami Heat fans everywhere can’t stop talking about it.
Will’s Take (@crackseason)
Just look up “Donovan Mitchell” and “Heat” anywhere, in your favorite search engine or social media feed, and you’ll see the entire fanbase going to war on why they do or don’t want him.
Occasionally, you may even see Knicks fans in the replies just trying to stay relevant. While it is funny to see the jersey swaps and arguments, it is fair to ask whether or not Mitchell would benefit this Heat team.
Yes, he’s a great scorer but his defense leaves a lot to be desired, while some see him as a “quitter” and “team cancer”. With all that though, should Miami still want him?
Yes, yes, and yes again! That’s the answer.
Crying about Mitchell’s defense when the team employs Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro and Max Strus (who did show improvement on defense) is insanity. Do you want to know who else was labeled a “team cancer”?
That would be the Miami Heat’s best player, Jimmy Butler. Miami would not be bringing in Donovan to be the best player on a championship team.
They’re bringing him in to help Jimmy score the ball. There’s no realistic trade package yet, but who honestly cares about depth come playoff time?
Depth is only valuable in the regular season and this year’s Heat season reflects that. Countless guys stepped up but Jimmy needed more help when it mattered the most.
Max Strus had games where he didn’t record a made shot, Duncan was virtually unplayable throughout the entire playoffs, while guys like Caleb Martin and Dewayne Dedmon can only give so much as role players.
Tyler Herro would be the biggest loss, but Pat Riley has to make a decision. It’s either the Jimmy window or the Bam window.
With Herro, he only fits the Bam window. Mitchell fits both.
Miami has their answer. If an opportunity presents itself, Miami needs to take it.
Miami Heat Roundtable: Whatever It Takes To Get Donovan Mitchell – Isiah’s Take
From his first year in the league, it was for certain that Donovan Mitchell would become an All-Star very soon.
Isiah’s Take (@IsiahCurryNBA)
Despite some of the recent criticism towards his defensive effort and leadership qualities, nothing should lament his early career accomplishments—including some of his impressive postseason performances.
If Mitchell were to make himself available by requesting a trade from Utah this summer, this would be an all-world talent that teams would immediately be lining up for.
To Miami’s benefit though, they would become instant frontrunners to land the three-time All-Star.
The Miami Heat should be expressing interest in Mitchell, even if it comes at the expense of Tyler Herro. Although Herro made steady strides to become the team’s second-leading scorer this year, no single asset outside of Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo should keep Miami from entering the Mitchell Sweepstakes.
In an effort to further stabilize their offense, Miami’s primary objective last summer was to acquire a point guard. While they successfully did so after nabbing Kyle Lowry, a Conference Finals exit has left what could be considered a gaping hole in their system—which would be the need for another prolific scorer.
Donovan Mitchell has a great opportunity of becoming just that in South Beach.
Miami Heat Roundtable: Whatever It Takes To Get Donovan Mitchell – Max’s Take
With former Utah Jazz head coach, Quin Snyder, choosing to step down recently, Miami Heat fans online began to do their thing immediately by putting Utah’s Donovan Mitchell in a Heat jersey swap.
Max’s Take (@maxmarshall136)
With Pat Riley having his end-of-the-year press conference in recent days, It’s clear that he wants to try and make a move if possible. Nobody knows what Mitchell’s future in Utah is at the moment, with there already being whispers that Mitchell will leave Utah at some point.
If he makes it clear that he wants out of Utah this summer, should Miami look to trade for him? The answer is yes, emphatically.
Miami has draft picks that they can send, such as this year’s first-round pick and 2027 first-rounder. Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, and Omer Yurtseven can go as sweeteners if need be.
Would Utah even accept that? Could they get more from other teams?
Would Miami’s front office view that as giving up too much? These are questions that both camps need to figure out and more sooner than later.
You hate to say it but you have to think Utah could get more for Mithcell than what Miami could offer. If you are a Miami Heat fan, you want Mithcell to stay in Utah another year.
That gives the Heat a better shot to, potentially, load up with more assets for next summer. To make things worse for Miami in this situation though, Danny Ainge is running Utah.
To be frank and perhaps generous, it’s publicly documented that he and The Godfather, Pat Riley, don’t get along. Perhaps there is a workaround there though.
Maybe, just maybe, Dwyane Wade can be a peacemaker? Get it done Flash!
Miami Heat Roundtable: Whatever It Takes To Get Donovan Mitchell – Noah’s Take
Donovan Mitchell’s name has been linked to the Miami Heat for a while now. Whether it is because of the Dwyane Wade comparisons or because Mitchell has great respect for the organization, it seems like only a matter of time before he actually becomes a member of the Heat.
Noah’s Take (@ndeckerbuckets)
With the Utah Jazz having another disappointing postseason run, that time might come sooner rather than later. Things are trending towards a split-up of Mitchell and his co-star, Rudy Gobert.
If the Heat were to have any chance at acquiring Donovan Mitchell, he would have to request a trade. Even though that would give Miami some leverage, they would still have to concoct a huge package to strike a deal with the Jazz.
Donovan Mitchell is one of my favorite players in the league and I absolutely want him on the Miami Heat. Everyone should want him.
I consider him to be a top-15 player in the NBA. Imagine what a player of his caliber could add to a Heat team that was one win away from a Finals appearance this season?
Spida would fit right in with the Heat’s commitment to effort and defense. The gift that he could provide that would help them the most is his shooting and scoring ability.
Mitchell is already a premier scorer in the NBA and does a lot of damage from long range. At only 25 years old, he already ranks third in the most points scored in an NBA playoff game with 57.
Mitchell’s electric scoring and ability to space the floor could be just what Miami needs after lacking offense for some playoff stretches. The sky’s the limit for the young Jazz guard.
If he works on his efficiency, he could become one of the most unguardable players in the league. Mitchell would be a great third star to add to the Heat.
You hope Pat Riley can work some more magic to add this player to the team.
Miami Heat Roundtable: Whatever It Takes To Get Donovan Mitchell – Kenneth’s Take
Oh brother, this might not go well. Unlike the rest of my All U Can Heat brethren, I am not on the Donovan Mitchell train.
Kenneth’s Take (@K_Said_Que)
Donovan Mitchell has been one of the league’s most prolific scorers for some time now, however, is the way he gets it done the best way? Though he gets it done from the field above the league average, about 45 percent for him compared to a league average of about 41 percent in this past season, it’s still not that much higher.
Can you invest what it will cost to attain him for a guy that’s just above average? Listen, he’s an electric scorer who can put up points, but is that because he’s that good or has that many bites at the apple in a Utah offense that is built around him?
In the Miami Heat’s ball and man movement style of ball, could he be as effective and impactful? It’s worth a question.
There is also the defense of it all that everyone mentions. Mitchell isn’t a good defender, you have to be honest.
No matter how many points you score, allowing just as many isn’t a good thing, right? Besides, that’s the case made against the Duncan Robinson’s and Tyler Herro’s of the world right now.
Their point production is no good if they are going to allow as many, right? That’s the same thing that can be said about Mitchell.
The difference is this though. Though Herro and Robinson appear to be trying all the time, you just can’t always say that about Mitchell.
There is also this. You already have Kyle Lowry in the rotation, though some might say to land Mitchell would mean that he’s gone, but could you deal with that lack of size in your two starting guards?
Mitchell is tiny, is a volume chucker if you are being fair, and isn’t defensively as adept as you would like your Miami Heat players to be. For me, to give up all that you would have to in order to acquire him and then to have to pay him the escalating $32 million-plus (that’ll slowly start to creep closer to $40 million as time goes on), it just isn’t worth it.
If it works out, it still may not mean a title because of his defensive deficiencies and what we have seen in his postseason history. And if it doesn’t work out, the perceived history of his time in Utah also tells us how ugly that situation has the potential to get.
The risk just might not be worth the potential reward. Only time will tell though, that’s the only certainty here—no matter which way you slice it.