Report: Jazz 'Certainly' Seeking RJ Barrett in Donovan Mitchell Deal with Knicks
Another day and more rumors swirling around three-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell. This one comes from New York Knicks reporter Ian Begley of SNY regarding shooting guard RJ Barrett.
Begley's sources tell him that Utah wants Barrett as part of a Mitchell exchange.
“A big name for me to watch is RJ Barrett because Utah certainly seeks RJ Barrett in a deal," Begley said.
Begley also feels the Knicks front office may be split on the thought of parting with Barrett.
“I’m not so sure. I don’t think it’s a uniform opinion throughout the building with New York that they can include Barrett in a deal," he said.
This contradicts reports made by Marc Berman of the New York Post earlier this week, who said that the Knicks and Jazz were haggling over the number of unprotected picks in a deal, and that the teams weren’t concerned about the exact player package.
Barrett would be a high-risk/high-reward proposition if the Jazz decided to jump in with both feet regarding the former No. 3 overall pick.
On one hand, Barrett is only 22 years old and has a stat line that’s improved yearly. The prime years of an NBA player are usually in the 25-29 range, and Barrett may have room to grow before he hits his ceiling.
The risk is Barrett is eligible for a five-year, $185 million extension. That’s a lot of cap space committed to a fringe All-Star with the hope that he can take his game to another level.
It’s the type of acquisition that could jump-start a rebuild, or could set a franchise back if Barrett’s development stays stagnant.
Whether it’s the Knicks, Jazz, or through free agency, Barrett's big payday is just around the corner. It would be hard to believe that the Knicks front office wouldn’t at least be open to the idea of including Barrett.
Acquiring a player as dynamic as Mitchell, who can also recruit in free agency, is something the Knicks need. It may pay dividends when the star-studded 2025 free-agent class hits the market.
Also, the Jazz may be rolling the dice, but locking Barrett up for five years might be a risk worth taking, considering Salt Lake City historically hasn’t drawn well in the free-agent market.
The rumors have been hot and heavy this week, and it feels like we might get closure on the Mitchell saga soon.
Follow Patrick on Twitter @pbyrnesNBA.
