SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Jazz star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell has cleared the NBA’s concussion protocols after missing the last eight games, the team announced Thursday.
Mitchell is expected to play in Friday night’s home game against the Brooklyn Nets.
The Jazz went 2-6 in Mitchell’s absence, when they were also without All-NBA center Rudy Gobert for the last five games due to a strained left calf.
Gobert remains out for Friday’s game, but sources told ESPN that there is optimism he will be able to return next week, possibly as soon as Monday’s meeting with the New York Knicks.
Utah has lost 11 of its last 14 games — a slump that started when Gobert missed five games while in the league’s health and safety protocols. The Jazz are 25-11 when both Gobert and Mitchell play this season.