The reason I was confused with Collins is that I simply used him as a placeholder, I just think ATL is the most obvious destination. It didn't make sense to me why it was a downside that you had to trade him if Rudy was traded, but not if Don and Rudy were both traded. I suppose that trading/not trading Don affects the package you'd seek for Gobert, but I think you're going to get the worst value out of Gobert for seeking future facing assets because the only teams interested are less likely to have premium future assets. I don't really see it as a problem to trade a player like Collins again anyways. Is that a problem because our head decision maker is part time because he's too lazy? Really shouldn't be a problem and I also like the potential gains from building up youngish players like Collins versus taking distant first round picks from sure fire playoff teams. The expected value of having 3 future firsts from a Luka-Gobert Mavs team is probably like one rotation caliber player. That's just my opinion, but I know others see it the other way. For example, I hated the return the Rockets got for Harden....but to this day there are still a people whose opinion I respect that say the Rockets got away with robbery.
I also value the year of evaluation with Don+trade package no matter what kind of package that is. Trading Don is a pivotal decision, and I would rather see what we have before making that move. The downside of waiting means little compared to the information gathered. If wants to play here another year, I think he would welcome the addition of younger players and the idea that the team is building around his timeline. I don't think he's going to commit to this team, but also say we have to keep this creaky old roster around him. And like I said before, increasing the chances of Mitchell bouncing is not really a consideration I have. Him playing for the Jazz beyond the contract is not a consideration I'm making because it's so unlikely. I just think it's better to be patient with his trade rather than be in a rush to tank.
I can't dispute the fact that playing adds some degree of injury risk, but that's really not enough for me to say that Don has to be moved. If you're really that scared, you can SGA him or do the AD thing....but I would not let that fear get in the way of making the best decision. I think it's way more likely you get a better deal by waiting. Donovan can become a better player, and waiting for a better deal has proven beneficial in just about every situation where a big name player has been traded. If you commit to trading him this off-season, you're really limiting your options. If the situation comes up where Don demands that Rudy be traded immediately, for example, that is really bad for our expected return on Rudy. I wouldn't self inflict that detriment for Don as well.
As far as losing the top 5 pick this year....yeah that's valuable. But you also still have Donovan Mitchell as an asset and he's valuable. If you want to tank, there has to be a logical end to it all and it's the same regardless of when you start that process. You don't lose a year of tanking because you started it a year later. It's just delayed a year. I'm willing to give Don a year, overhauling most of the roster + Quin, and then reassessing the pieces from there. Hell, even if Don demands a trade after thinking about it in a week I wouldn't be in a rush to trade him this summer. At some point the Jazz are going to have to show some strength and play hard ball for once.
