NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 03: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz stands on the court during the fourth quarter of a NBA game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center on January 03, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
NBA Rumors: Donovan Mitchell itching to play in a bigger market
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – JANUARY 08: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz takes a shot in the game against the Indiana Pacers during the fourth quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on January 08, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
The Utah Jazz are one of the best teams in the NBA, and they have been for the past few years. Though they haven’t made the Western Conference Finals with this core, there’s no doubt that they’ve been impressive.
People say that the regular season doesn’t matter, but being a top seed in the West takes a ton of talent. The Jazz hit on picks, put the right pieces together, and it has turned into a winning product.
However, recent NBA rumors are threatening that success. According to rumblings, a lot of people around the league have begun to speculate that Donovan Mitchell wants to play in a bigger market.
NBA Rumors: Donovan Mitchell itching to play in a bigger market
This quote from Tim MacMahon of ESPN on “The Hoop Collective” podcast sums it up:
“There is, I’m gonna say, at least speculation around the league that market size might matter to him.”
Mitchell has spent his entire career in Utah, which is easily one of the smallest markets in the NBA. While Utah constantly fills up its arena with fans, the overall opportunities for individual brand success are limited.
Salt Lake City ranks dead last when it comes to metro population amongst NBA cities. Combine this with ranking 23rd when it comes to TV market size, and things begin to add up.
The 25-year-old, high-flying guard has managed to cement himself as one of the league’s premier young stars regardless. He has his own shoes with Adidas, appeared in the NBA’s 75th Anniversary ad, and has been in commercials for huge movies such as Spider-Man: Far From Home.
Needless to say, Mitchell has made it work. But it’s totally normal to want more, especially when you’ve built a brand as large as Mitchell’s.
Playing in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Miami, and others is a huge draw for NBA stars. That’s why those teams have dominated the free agency market, to some degree, over the years.
Could Donovan Mitchell be getting antsy in Utah? What would happen if the young star decided to request a trade out of nowhere? Where could he end up?
The speculation talks about market size and how that may matter to Mitchell. If that proves to be the case, how many more years will Mitchell remain content with playing in the smallest city in the NBA?
