Utah Jazz: 3 ways to build on playoff appearance in 2019-20

2. Mitchell taking the next step in his development

Another key that the Jazz will have to try and focus on to build off that postseason will be to assist Donovan Mitchell in taking the next step in his development.

Since coming out of Louisville and being selected by the Jazz as the No. 13 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Mitchell has progressed nicely. He was a leading piece in the Utah rotation and emerged as the team’s primary threat in his very first season.

Although his final numbers wound up looking okay for 2018-19, Mitchell did have some road bumps throughout the course of the regular season, which is common among young players in the early stages of their career.

While working through some consistency issues and trying to maintain his ability to be a nightly threat for the Jazz, it will important both for Mitchell’s development and Utah in general to work towards correcting some of those issues and assisting the young guard in taking the next step in his career in 2019-20.

The role that Mitchell will play and the course of which they take his development for at least the next few seasons will result heavily with how the Jazz attack this offseason, and if they add a point guard to the mix following the possible departure of Ricky Rubio.

If Utah doesn’t go out and sign or trade for a new point guard this offseason, Utah could focus on trying to convert Mitchell into more of a point guard and force him to make plays with the ball in his hands more often.

If they do go out and acquire a point guard before next season, the Jazz will have to focus on how they can help him thrive in his current role while working on those consistency issues that continued to pop up in 2018-19.

Mitchell is and will continue to be a large piece in Salt Lake City, and he’ll play a very important role in Utah’s success on the floor throughout the year.

We saw the type of next step he is capable of taking to some extent at the end of the regular season and in the opening round playoff series, but it will be a key for the Jazz for him to maintain that both next year and in the future if they want to start making legitimate playoff runs.