Shortly after the Rudy Gobert trade to Minnesota, the Utah Jazz claimed that Donovan Mitchell was off the table. However, now it seems like Danny Ainge is open to moving the 25-year-old combo guard.
Mitchell has been tied to multiple teams throughout the offseason, and there should be no shortage of suitors for his services. Nonetheless, he’s expected to fetch a massive return, so that all but rules out some of his potential destinations.
The New York Knicks are one of the few teams that could actually meet the Jazz’s steep demands for Mitchell. He’s younger, under a longer contract, and arguably better than Gobert, who was traded for four picks, first-round pick Walker Kessler, Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Leandro Bolmaro.
The New York Knicks Will Go To Great Lengths To Trade For Mitchell
“Expect the New York Knicks to quickly try and put together a package for Donovan Mitchell, according to league sources. Utah’s bar for Trading Mitchell is sky high. But the Knicks are the team that has the assets to make this a conversation,” reported Tony Jones of The Athletic.
“Knicks can trade up to eight first-round picks — four of their own, and four owed by other teams. They should be able to meet Utah’s price for Donovan Mitchell with their combination of first-round picks and young players,” added Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype.
NBA Rumors: Danny Ainge Doesn’t Trust Donovan Mitchell To Lead The Utah Jazz
Butshould the Knicks give up that much to land the Louisville product? He’s a New York native with ties to Leon Rose and the organization. However, Jazz executive Danny Ainge isn’t so sure about his potential as a franchise leader:
“The whispers around the league are that Danny Ainge is not convinced that Donovan Mitchell can be the face of a contending franchise,” Tim McMahon of ESPN said on ‘The Hoops Collective.’
Mitchell has taken his game up a notch in the playoffs, but that hasn’t translated into success, and he’s not a good defender by any means. So, even though the Knicks should be interested in him, maybe they shouldn’t jeopardize their entire future trying to land him now.
