Is TNT Betting On A Donovan Mitchell, Jazz-Knicks Trade?
Aug 17, 2022, 2:42 PM | Updated: Aug 18, 2022, 10:07 am
Vivint Arena partially filled due to COVID-19 NBA test protocol. (Photo: Ben Anderson/KSL Sports))
(Photo: Ben Anderson/KSL Sports)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz released their 2022-23 schedule on Wednesday, and it painted a stark picture of how TNT and ESPN view the team for the upcoming season.
After making an impressive 26 appearances on national TV last year, the Jazz are scheduled to have just four games broadcast nationally in 2022-23.
Last season the Jazz made four appearances on TNT, nine on ESPN, one on ABC, and 12 on NBATV. This year, the team has three national games set to be aired on NBATV, and just one on TNT.
Along with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Detroit Pistons, and the Orlando Magic, the Jazz are one of just four teams not scheduled to appear on ESPN or ABC this season.
The Jazz, Thunder, Pistons & Magic are the only teams with no ESPN/ABC games this season.#NBATwitter pic.twitter.com/tgIt7aoYui
— 𝙏𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙣’ 𝙉𝘽𝘼 (@_Talkin_NBA) August 17, 2022
In short, the NBA’s primetime TV partners are betting against the Jazz for the upcoming season and have deemed them undesirable for national television.
Perhaps even more telling is the lone game the Jazz do have on TNT’s national schedule, when they host the New York Knicks on November 15.
With rumors swirling since early July that the Knicks and Jazz were discussing a potential trade for Donovan Mitchell, TNT appears to be capitalizing on the trade winds between the two teams.
On Tuesday, the Knicks and Jazz were rumored to have re-engaged in trade talks surrounding Mitchell after taking a several-week hiatus after the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
The @utahjazz and @nyknicks are reportedly re-engaging in trade talks centered around Donovan Mitchell.
However, another report says the Jazz may be looking at this second star to team with Mitchell. #TakeNote https://t.co/DxTxxu70Gj
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 16, 2022
Though the Jazz have just four games set to be broadcast nationally this season, the Salt Lake market won’t lack attention from the NBA with All-Star weekend headed back to Utah for the first since in 1993.
Vivint Arena will play host to the three-day event that features the Rising Stars Challenge and the Celebrity All-Star game on Friday night, the dunk contest, the three-point shootout, and the skills challenge on Saturday night and Sunday’s All-Star game.
All-Star weekend runs from February 17-19.
Games will be broadcast locally on AT&T SportsNet, while every game throughout the season can be heard on 97.5 the KSL Sports Zone.
