SALT LAKE CITY — Donovan Mitchell hasn’t just surprised executives from the 12 teams that passed on him in last June’s NBA draft — 14 franchises if you include the Denver Nuggets, who sent their pick to Utah, and the Sacramento Kings, who traded down from the 10th spot.
As the rookie has exceeded the expectations of Jazz fans, turning them from despondent over the loss of Gordon Hayward to positively giddy about their dynamo rookie, it’s fair to count the very Utah decision-makers who picked Mitchell among the surprised.
“I’m not going to sit here and say we master-planned this,” Jazz General Manager Dennis Lindsey said last week.