File this in the no-brainer section: The Utah Jazz have exercised their third-year option on guard Donovan Mitchell’s rookie contract.
The Jazz had until opening night to make a decision on the option, which had no chance of being declined. Mitchell, 22, will make $3.6 million in the 2019-20 season. The Jazz also hold a fourth-year option on his contract, as is standard with first-round picks.
Mitchell had a spectacular 2017-18 season where he became just the fourth rookie in the last decade (Joel Embiid, Blake Griffin, Tyreke Evans) to average 20 points per game as a rookie.
Expected to take a step back following the departure of Gordon Hayward, the Jazz instead earned the No. 5 seed in the West and a second-round playoff berth. Utah’s ceiling is now considered the third- or perhaps even second-best team in the conference if things break right this season—thanks in large part to an expected second-year leap from Mitchell.
The contract option itself isn’t much to care about. Even bad first-round picks tend to get their third-year option picked up. You have to be a cataclysmic failure as a lottery pick to miss out on that third guaranteed year, in part because teams have to make a decision early. Anthony Bennett’s third-year option got picked up.
Barring a complete regression heretofore unseen in NBA history, the Jazz won’t regret picking up Mitchell’s third-year option for a second. The team will also have a cushy decision next fall, when Mitchell will be due another option of $5.2 million.
The real question will be whether Mitchell plays himself into max territory over the next two years.
Courtesy: Bleacher Report
