(NOTE: As a Cavs fan, I DO NOT want to see Sexton leave. This is a hypothetical scenario in which Sexton's asking price is too much for Cleveland)

Cavs:

With the growing rumors of Donovan Mitchell wanting to leave Utah, the Knicks and Heat have became front-runners to get Donovan out of Utah. But, what-if the Cavs, a dark-house team, could swoop Mitchell. This trade would see Cleveland getting both D. Mitchell and Bojan Bogdanovic from Utah. Donovan would automatically make the Cavs a contender now and for many years to come, plus a DG-Mitchell would be a top 2 backcourt duo in the east. Mitchell is a better playmaker and a slightly better scorer than Sexton, meaning Mitchell can be utilized on and off the ball. Cavs also receive Bojan Bogdanovic who is a more consistent shooter than Markkanen, but lacks the defense and the length that Markkanen brings. Cavs would have to send Sexton, Markkanen, Osman, Windler and 3 future 1st rounders. If Rich Paul decides Utah's offer is more enticing, Sexton would be the main player the Jazz receive. Markkanen would also be another important player in this trade instead of the likes of Levert or Okoro as the future for Markkanen in Cleveland is uncertain. Lauri had a decent season in Cleveland, displaying hot and cold shooting streaks and injury woes during the season. However, Cleveland would much rather have Okoro or Agbaji to be the future SF. Cedi Osman, a player that has fallen out of the Cavs rotation with the likes of Stevens and Wade, and Dylan Windler, a former 1st round pick who hasn't lived up to a 26th overall pick due to injury concerns would both be included in the deal. The 3 future 1st rounders is a necessity to interest the Jazz, and could be seen as a bargain due to Rudy Gobert being traded for 5 1st round picks. Mitchell and Bogdanovic would bring playoff experience to a young and hungry Cavs team that could become contenders in the future.

Ultimately, adding both Donovan Mitchell and Bojan Bogdanovic sees a roster of:

DG-Mitchell-Okoro-Ev-JA

Rubio-Levert-Agbaji-Bogdanovic-Love

3rd unit: Neto, Lamar, Wade, Lopez, Isaiah

Pros:

• Cavs offense would improve with the improvement with shooting and playmaking from Bogdanovic and Mitchell respectively.

• The new acquisitions would bring playoff experience to the team

• By acquiring Donovan Mitchell and putting him alongside upcoming stars such as DG, Ev or JA, Cleveland could become a free agent destination.

Cons:

• Defense of the Cavs takes a big halt with the absence of Markkanen

• Depth could become a major problem for the Cavs due to the previous season's woes with injuries to players such as JA, Sexton, Markkanen, Rubio which caused them to fall out of the playoff spots. This could come back to haunt them again if injuries do pop up again.

• Decrease in inside scoring without Markkanen's length and his ability to work around the rim.

Pelicans:

The Pelicans would be the outside team that would take on Mike Conley to complete the Jazz restart. Mike Conley would be a good fit with the Pels starting lineup as he is an experienced guard who can play make for others and be a lob passer to Zion. He can also be a good mentor to their young guards Jose Alvarado, Dyson Daniels and Kira Lewis who would eventually take his role as the Pels future starting PG. Mike Conley was an all star during the 2020-21 season meaning he would complete a stacked starting lineup. However, the Pels would have to give up Devonte Graham and Jaxson Hayes which could be an overpay for an aging Mike Conley. Devonte would have to be part of the deal salary wise and as a PG replacement for Utah after having a disappointing past season which saw him having limited minutes in the playoffs and a dip in averages. But, the question mark surrounding this trade would be the Pels letting go of Jaxson Hayes, a young big man who has shown signs of becoming a solid center in the future. The Pels would be hesitant to pull the trigger but if they are certain Conley will elevate the team, Hayes would have to be included to get the Jazz interested.

Their roster would now be:

Conley-CJ-BI-Zion-JV

Alvarado-Dyson-Murphy-Herb-Nance

3rd unit: Willy, Naji, Temple, Kira, Liddell

Pros:

• Pelicans receive an experienced PG who can run the offense of a talented roster. He won't take much shots away from the rest of the players and will be very important during the postseason as it is good to have a veteran PG who has endured the playoff pressure. With the Pels current roster, his number one priority would be to play make for bucket getters such as BI and CJ instead of relying to make shots.

• A veteran presence could be important as a mentor to the young guards in the team.

Cons:

• Is Jaxson Hayes worth giving up? Jaxson Hayes had games where he posted multiple 20 point games with good defensive performance. Letting him go could become a mistake.

• Would giving heavy minutes to Conley affect the development of guys such as Alvarado, Dyson and Kira Lewis? What made the Pelicans competitive against the 1st seeded Suns in the postseason was Alvarado's defense and his passion. With an addition of Mike Conley, Alvarado would be given limited minutes come playoff time. In addition, Dyson Daniels development could be halted if he doesn't give starter type minutes and isn't able to run with the starting unit.

Jazz:

The Jazz ships of Donovan Mitchell, Bojan Bogdanovic and Mike Conley to the Cavs and Pels respectively in exchange for a haul of young assets and picks. After consecutive years of finishing well in the regular season and constant disappointment in the postseason, the Jazz are looking to restart. From the Cavs, the Jazz receives Sexton, Markkanen, Cedi, Windler and 3 1st round picks. Sexton would be a a great replacement for Mitchell as he is a certified bucket getter that can easily average 26+ if he becomes the number 1 option and run the offense. With time, Sexton could become their future PG and an all star. Markkanen has shown potential of being a consistent shooter with length that has a big presence on the defensive end. They also receive the 'Next Lebron James' who had multiple 20+ games this past season. Dylan Windler would be the wildcard player in this deal as the Jazz might think that they can utilize him into the offense. Dylan had some high moments over his 2 years in Cleveland such as 9/9 from the 3-point line over 2 games and surprisingly winning the 'Junkyard Dog Award' due to his defensive presence. If the Jazz can use him correctly, Windler could reach the potential of being the 1st round pick that he is supposed to be. The question mark with this trade would be if 3 1st round picks is the right asking price for Donovan as they were able to get 5 from Rudy.

From the Pels, the Jazz receives Devonte Graham and Jaxson Hayes. The main headline here would be receiving Jaxson Hayes to be their starting center. Hayes is a young and promising center who is gifted on both ends of the floor, showing dominance in the paint and signs of becoming a stretch big. Getting Hayes for an aging point guard would be fleecing the Pels, without even mentioning Devonte Graham. Devonte would either be their starting PG or their backup. Not to long ago, Devonte' averaged 18 PPG and 7.5 APG whilst running the Hornets offense before Lamelo took over his role. If he can replicate the same thing with a young roster, I wouldn't be surprised if Devonte' can do the same thing.

Assuming Pat Bev is bought out and Paschall doesn't resign, the roster would look like:

Sexton-Malik-Vanderbilt-Lauri-Hayes

Graham-Clarkson-NAW-Osman-Kessler

3rd unit: Butler, Windler, Udoka, Gay, Bolmaro

Pros:

• A big return for their players, along with what they've already received from the Gobert trade. Players such as Sexton, Hayes, Vanderbilt, Markkanen will be the main guys they receive. Some of them could have the potential of being an all star or a defensive team player. This new look would make the Jazz have good odds of receiving the number one pick this upcoming draft.

• Receiving a 24+ PPG as their main player going forward will set him and the team up for success

Cons:

• Is this the best offer for Donovan Mitchell? Is Sexton the best player on the market? Guys such as Herro and RJ Barrett could be available. Is 3 1st round picks the right asking price?

• Do you trust Sexton running at the 1?

Let me know what you think?