It was only a few months ago when the Utah Jazz doubled down on their rebuild, shipping superstar Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The trade shook the landscape of the NBA, arguably for years to come.
Here’s a refresher: Cleveland got Mitchell, case closed. Utah received: Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, Collin Sexton, three unprotected first-round picks (2025, 2027, 2029), and two pick swaps (2026, 2028)
The trade was meant to signal a shift for both franchises. For the Jazz, it meant their contention window with a core of Mitchell and Rudy Gobert was officially over. For the Cavs, it was time to evolve into a real Eastern Conference and NBA title contender.
By and large, that’s how it has worked out. The Cavs are one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, though they have the occasional growing pains. The Jazz started the season hotter than expected, but have since fallen back to earth.
Time will tell who wins the Donovan Mitchell trade. So far, however, would you give the nod to the Cleveland Cavaliers or Utah Jazz?
At the time the deal went down, it appeared to have the potential of a true win-win, a rarity in NBA trades. Nothing has happened so far that has really veered that narrative far off course.
Still, it’s the NBA and there are no draws allowed – every game is played until there’s a winner. For many, evaluating trades works the same way.
Let’s see how the trade has impacted both teams to this point, then try to pick a winner between the two.