Donovan Mitchell Unlikely to Join Sixers' Divison Anytime Soon

The Utah Jazz didn’t seem to want any parts of a Donovan Mitchell trade at the start of the offseason. As rumors of a possible Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell breakup flooded the rumor mill, the Jazz made it come to life by sending Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

At first, Utah was believed to be focused on building the team around Mitchell rather than landing a haul for him as well. Eventually, the narrative shifted. For weeks, the Jazz didn’t answer any calls pertaining to a possible Mitchell trade.

Now, they are reportedly looking to fast-track a Mitchell trade as training camp is just weeks away. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported last week that the Jazz would like to strike a Mitchell deal before they reach the next phase of the offseason, and they hoped that the New York Knicks would be the ones to take Mitchell off their hands as New York possesses the ideal package to satisfy Utah.

But a Monday night move by the Knicks suddenly made it harder for the Jazz to send their superstar guard to the Big Apple.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Monday night that the Knicks agreed to a long-term extension with their former third-overall pick, RJ Barrett. Following a career year with the Knicks, Barrett landed an offer that was difficult to refuse, and he’s now slated to make up to $120 million over four seasons.

What’re the Chances Donovan Mitchell Joins the Sixers’ Division?

No team has been connected to Donovan Mitchell more than the Knicks. Last week, it seemed like a safe bet that Donovan Mitchell would become a direct rival of the Sixers as the Knicks have been the clear-cut favorite to land him for a month now.

The Barrett extension certainly complicates the narrative. Per Wojnarowski, the Barrett deal paused trade discussions between the Knicks and the Jazz. If the talks resume, the trade negotiations will “start over” with “significantly different considerations.”

To no surprise, Utah prioritized Barrett in a deal for Mitchell. The Knicks were reportedly willing to send Barrett packing to help land Mitchell, but they had a deadline in place. Since the Jazz and the Knicks failed to agree to a trade on Monday, New York went in a different direction.

Are the Knicks and the Jazz officially done discussing a Donovan Mitchell deal? Not quite. However, the talks are on hold for the time being, and it seems Mitchell is unlikely to head to New York anytime soon.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.