Donovan Mitchell Rumors: NBA Insiders Believe Jazz Star Would 'Likely' Leave in 2025

As the wait to see if Donovan Mitchell gets traded before the start of the 2022-23 season continues, there is new insight into why the Utah Jazz would consider moving their 25-year-old superstar.

Per Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune, there is an "overwhelming" feeling among NBA insiders that Mitchell would "likely" leave the Jazz when he can opt out of his current deal after the 2024-25 season.

It's long been speculated that Mitchell would eventually look to leave Utah at some point in his career.

ESPN's Tim MacMahon said in February on an episode of The Hoop Collective podcast there was "speculation around the league that market size might matter" to Mitchell amid a discussion about him potentially leaving the Jazz.

Following Rudy Gobert's trade to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a package that included four first-round draft picks, the indication seemed to be that Jazz CEO Danny Ainge was going to tear down the roster and begin a long-term rebuild.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on July 12 that Utah had started taking calls from opposing teams about Mitchell, but the "asking price appears to be steep" for the three-time All-Star.

The New York Knicks have been the team most frequently linked to Mitchell. The Athletic's Shams Charania and Tony Jones reported last month that the Jazz and Knicks discussed the framework of a deal.

Things appear to have stalled out between the two sides, with Charania saying on Jan. 29 the Jazz and Knicks haven't spoken in two weeks.

The Jazz don't need to be in a hurry to get a deal done, because Mitchell still has three more guaranteed years left on his contract. They could drag things out until the trade deadline during the season or even wait until next offseason and still expect a strong return.

Trading Mitchell would almost certainly bring back a significant return to the Jazz. He has averaged at least 20 points per game in each of his first five seasons.