Cavs Firing Could Stop Knicks Trade for Donovan Mitchell
The Cleveland Cavaliers' seismic change at the onset of their elimination could have aftershocks for the New York Knicks.
Shortly after the Boston Celtics eliminated them from the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Cavs bid farewell to head coach J.B. Bickerstaff after five seasons at the helm. It's the first move of what could be a fateful offseason in Ohio, as the future of franchise face Donovan Mitchell will continue to linger as a major talking point.
The uncertainty around Mitchell's future could once again draw the Knicks' interest after a futile bid for his services in 2022. SNY Knicks insider Ian Begley addressed what Bickerstaff's firing could mean to the Knicks' pursuit in a mailbag.
"I’d say less likely (for the Knicks to get Mitchell) but that’s just a guess," Begley wrote in response to a fan's query. "As of late last week, I don’t think the organization knew definitively if Mitchell would sign the extension he’s eligible for. Now, they have an opportunity to hire a coach who could push Mitchell towards staying."
Bickerstaff helped guide the Cavaliers back to respectability, as this season saw them win their first playoff series without the services of LeBron James since 1993. That, however, fell short of the expectations that heightened when Mitchell joined a young core co-starring Jarrett Allen, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley. Cleveland earned the fourth seed on the last season's playoff bracket but was ousted by the fifth-ranked Knicks in games.
The Knicks could well play an unintentional role in the Cleveland cause to keep Mitchell: late last week, Begley reported that Knicks associate head coach Johnnie Bryant will be included in the search for Bickerstaff's successor. Well-known for his work with current Knicks All-Star Julius Randle, Bryant previously worked with Mitchell as an assistant coach during the latter's rise to professional prominence with the Utah Jazz.
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI
Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks