One NBA playoffs result could have massive implications for Utah Jazz
Apr 18, 2026, 1:50 PM | Updated: 10:32 pm
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 18: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots over Ja'kobe Walter #14 of the Toronto Raptors during the first quarter of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena on April 18, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
The NBA has never been short on butterfly effects.
A coin flip in 1984 helped deliver Michael Jordan to Chicago. A salary cap spike in 2016 built a dynasty in Golden State. Even something as small as a missed game in the 2020 bubble altered the trajectory of the Utah Jazz.
Another example may already be in motion, and the next domino to fall is in this year’s playoffs.
B.I. and the Raptors.
Spida and the Cavs.
WHO YA GOT??
@Kia | NBA Playoffs presented by @Google
— NBA (@NBA) April 18, 2026
Taking a look back
If you dug deep enough, this butterfly effect could go back a decade, but we’ll start in 2022, when the Utah Jazz traded All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
For Mitchell, the Jazz received a package of Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, Collin Sexton, three unprotected first-round picks (2025, 2027, and 2029), and two pick swaps (2026 and 2028).
Markkanen blossomed into an All-Star himself, and some of those picks have already materialized into quality players, but our eye is on the picks that are still to come. Specifically, the 2028 swap and the 2029 first-rounder.
Breaking: The Cavaliers have acquired Donovan Mitchell in a trade, sources tell @wojespn.
Cleveland will send three unprotected first round picks and two pick swaps as part of the deal to Utah for Mitchell, sources said. pic.twitter.com/xaTUCi5QgN
— ESPN (@espn) September 1, 2022
Since the deal, the Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell era is eerily similar to his time in Utah. Some individual accolades, some postseason appearances, but no deep playoff runs.
If Cleveland opts to trade Mitchell, the situation could get really interesting, really fast.
Back to the present day
It was reported on Thursday that the Cavs could look to trade Mitchell if he doesn’t sign an extension this offseason.
It’s safe to assume that since Mitchell is now four years older and has yet to prove he can be a top player on a contending team, a second Mitchell trade wouldn’t be as lucrative as the first time around.
Adding that he is paired with a 36-year-old James Harden in the backcourt, and questions about the Evan Mobley-Jarrett Allen frontcourt have loomed large for years now, the future in Cleveland is completely up in the air.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are expected to explore trading Donovan Mitchell this summer if he doesn’t agree to a contract extension, per @FredKatz pic.twitter.com/GBWtDjgJme
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 17, 2026
This makes those upcoming Cavaliers picks that much more interesting.
The butterfly effect
If Mitchell isn’t satisfied with the team’s performance in this year’s playoffs and doesn’t sign an extension, Cleveland could look to trade him.
That move could then drop the franchise into a rebuild. Even if they stay competent and just fall into the play-in tier, the rumored NBA Draft Lottery changes could have that pick in the mix for a top selection.
RELATED: Jazz wise to finish rebuild ahead of new tanking rules
Cleveland faces Toronto in the first round of the 2026 playoffs. If they advance, they will meet the winner of the Detroit-Orlando series.
An early exit for Mitchell and the Cavs could lead to a top pick in the Utah Jazz’s draft chest in the coming years — a ripple effect that could ultimately reshape the franchise’s future.
