Earlier this year, Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade purchased an ownership stake in the Utah Jazz organization, and he has been working very closely with the team ever since.
For many years, Wade has been a mentor of Jazz superstar Donovan Mitchell, and some NBA observers believe that the Jazz brought Wade into the organization as an attempt to appease Mitchell.
There have been some rumblings suggesting that Wade is worried about Mitchell’s long-term commitment to the Jazz, but Wade recently made it clear that he doesn’t want to be responsible for keeping the 25-year-old happy.
“Keep going, bro. You’re going to play so long that people are going to forget we even played together.” – Dwyane Wade on former co-star LeBron James in 19th season. Wade sits down with @Stadium: LeBron, communication being key with Utah-Donovan Mitchell, new Memoir, more. pic.twitter.com/6V6NMLY9lH
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 16, 2021
“Well, I hope they don’t put that pressure on me,” Wade said. “I can’t keep Donovan happy. What’s going to keep Donovan happy is the players that we able to put around and how much that we able to continue to help him reach the levels that he wants to go to. … It’s all about communication.”
Keeping Mitchell in Utah for as long as possible is likely a priority for the organization. The youngster is one of the biggest reasons why the Jazz are a perennial playoff contender.
So far this season, Mitchell is averaging 25.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. He’s shooting 43.8 percent from the field and 32.0 percent from 3-point range.
He already has two All-Star selections under his belt, and that number will likely continue to grow as his career continues. Mitchell has an extremely high ceiling, and some folks feel that he hasn’t even reached it yet.
The Jazz are 8-5 so far in the 2021-22 campaign. The organization is still looking for its first NBA title ever.
