Five seasons. That is exactly how long we had. If you ask any Jazz fan today, sitting in the Delta Center (or whatever we're calling it this week), they’ll tell you those five years with Donovan Mitchell felt like a fever dream that ended way too abruptly. One minute he's a rookie putting up 20 a game and breaking records held by Karl Malone, and the next, he's in a Cavs jersey dropped into the middle of a massive rebuild that hasn't quite seen the sun yet.
It’s been over three years since that blockbuster trade. Honestly, it still feels weird. People like to talk about "eras" in sports, but the Utah Jazz Donovan Mitchell era was less of a slow burn and more of a lightning strike. It was high-flying dunks, 50-point playoff explosions, and that inevitable, painful feeling that the ceiling was made of bulletproof glass.
The Trade That Froze Time in Salt Lake City
Let's get real for a second. When Danny Ainge decided to blow things up in 2022, it wasn't just a roster move. It was a lobotomy of the franchise's identity. On September 1, 2022, the Jazz sent Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a package that looked like a king's ransom: Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, Ochai Agbaji, three unprotected first-round picks (2025, 2027, 2029), and two pick swaps.
Fast forward to January 2026. The dust has settled, but the scars are visible.
The Jazz are currently in that "awkward teenager" phase of a rebuild. You've got Lauri Markkanen acting as the veteran stabilizer, and then there's the young core led by Keyonte George. Funny enough, Mitchell just played the Jazz a few days ago on January 12, 2026. Cleveland lost that game 123-112. After the buzzer, Mitchell didn't just walk off. He spent a solid chunk of time praising Keyonte, even calling him a future All-Star. It felt like a passing of the torch, or maybe just a reminder that Spida still has love for the 801.
🔗 Read more: NFL Starting QBs 2024: What Most People Get Wrong
Was the Mitchell-Gobert Beef Actually Real?
This is the question that won't die. Was there a locker room civil war? Mitchell has been pretty transparent about it lately. In interviews, he basically says the "basketball just didn't work."
"We live in such a world where it has to be really negative... Basketball just didn't work. We didn't see eye to eye. We wanted to both win, but we wanted to do it two different ways." — Donovan Mitchell
It wasn't that they hated each other's guts in a movie-villain way. It was just professional friction. Rudy Gobert wanted the defense to be the anchor; Donovan wanted the perimeter to fly. By the time 2022 rolled around, they weren't even looking at each other on the court. The "COVID incident" in March 2020—where Rudy touched the mics and then both tested positive—was really the beginning of the end. It put a crack in the foundation that no amount of winning could seal.
The Playoff Ghost That Haunts the Record Books
If you want to understand why Utah Jazz Donovan Mitchell is a search term that still gets hits every day, look at the 2020 Bubble.
That series against the Denver Nuggets was insane. Mitchell and Jamal Murray were playing a different sport. Donovan dropped 57 points in Game 1. Then he followed it up with 51 in Game 4. He became one of only three players—joining Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson—to have two 50-point games in a single playoff series.
But he lost.
That’s the tragedy of his Utah tenure. He has the highest playoff scoring average in franchise history at 28.3 points per game. He was a monster when the lights were brightest. Yet, the furthest they ever got was the second round. Whether it was the collapse against the Clippers in 2021 or the frustrating exit against Dallas in 2022, the Jazz always seemed to run out of gas exactly when Mitchell was flooring it.
The Numbers Most People Ignore
We focus on the 50-point games, but look at the consistency:
- Rookie Year: 20.5 PPG (carried a team that lost Gordon Hayward to 48 wins).
- Third Year: First All-Star nod, 24 PPG.
- The Peak (2020-21): Led Utah to the best record in the NBA (52-20).
- The Farewell: 25.9 PPG in his final season before the trade.
He wasn't just a scorer. He was the energy. Salt Lake City isn't exactly a destination for superstars, and Mitchell embraced it until he didn't. He went to the baseball games. He hung out at local parks. He made the Jazz feel relevant in a way they hadn't been since the Stockton-to-Malone days.
Why the Mitchell Trade Hurts More in 2026
When the trade happened, Jazz fans were high on "Draft Pick Fever." We thought those Cleveland picks would be top-five selections.
Well, the first of those picks just turned into Liam McNeeley at #29 in the 2025 draft. Ouch.
Cleveland has been too good. Mitchell has been too good. Because the Cavs are winning, those unprotected picks the Jazz are holding onto aren't looking like lottery tickets anymore. They look like late first-rounders. Meanwhile, the Jazz are bottoming out. They just suffered a 55-point loss to the Hornets earlier this season—the worst in franchise history.
Seeing Mitchell thrive in Cleveland while the Jazz struggle to find a second star to pair with Markkanen is a tough pill. The rebuild is taking longer than Danny Ainge's "trust the process" fans expected.
What Should You Actually Watch For?
If you're still tracking Mitchell’s legacy, keep an eye on Keyonte George. The comparisons are already everywhere. Mitchell himself basically endorsed the kid as his "replacement" after their recent matchup. George is a better playmaker at this stage than Mitchell was, but he lacks that raw, explosive athleticism that made Mitchell a highlight reel every night.
Also, look at the 2027 and 2029 picks. If the Cavs' "core four" (Mitchell, Garland, Mobley, Allen) eventually breaks up or ages out, those picks could still be gold. But right now? Cleveland is a juggernaut, and Mitchell is the engine.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to capitalize on this era or just want to stay informed, here’s what to do:
- Watch the 2027 Pick: Don't get discouraged by the 2025 result. The 2027 unprotected Cleveland pick is the real prize. If Mitchell decides to test free agency or the Cavs hit a wall, that's where the Jazz get their payout.
- Donovan Mitchell Rookie Cards: Surprisingly, his 2017 Panini Prizm cards haven't tanked. If anything, they've stabilized because his legacy in Utah is viewed more fondly now that we see how hard it is to win without him.
- Track Keyonte George’s Progress: If George hits his All-Star trajectory, it validates the Mitchell trade. If he plateaus, the trade starts looking like a massive "what if."
- Cavaliers vs. Jazz Rematch: Always mark the calendar for Mitchell’s return to Utah. The energy in the building is different. It’s not pure hate; it’s more like seeing an ex who is doing way better than you.
The story of the Utah Jazz Donovan Mitchell era isn't over yet. It won't be over until the last draft pick from that trade is spent and the Jazz find themselves back in the Western Conference Finals. Until then, we're just watching the ripples of a trade that changed two franchises forever.