Should Donovan Mitchell Remain on Knicks' Radar?
The New York Knicks have made several major trades over the past two seasons, making deals for OG Anunoby, Bojan Bogdanovic, Alec Burks, and Josh Hart in that span. One major name, however, has eluded them and they could be inspired to revisit the opportunity.
Depending on how the rest of this season shakes out, the Knicks could once again pursue Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell. New York was supposedly the front-runner for the Empire State native during the summer of 2022 but was unwilling to pay Utah's massive asking price, allowing the Cavs to step in and make the fateful deal.
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Some offseason projections felt that the Knicks' case could start over again considering Mitchell had not (and has not) signed a long-term deal with the Cavs yet. But ESPN insider Brian Windhorst addressed the possibility on a recent episode of "First Take" more or less pouring water on the idea, hinting that Mitchell could seek the long-term franchise spot that Jalen Brunson has found in Manhattan.
“I don’t know if the Donovan Mitchell Knicks thing is really still a possibility. I guess it is because he can be a free agent in a year. I don’t know how Donovan feels," Windhorst said. “Jalen Brunson crying in front of the fans when he gets named to the All-Star Game, Jalen Brunson’s name echoing in the streets of New York, Jalen Brunson becoming a hero at the Garden. I don’t know if Donovan Mitchell, first off I don’t even know if they fit … I don’t think it makes sense.”
Brunson and Mitchell's statlines are mostly even, with Brunson's outside shooting perhaps providing a slight advantage. But what's also working against anyone still holding out hope for a Mitchell homecoming is the state of the Cavs.
Though last season ended in heartbreak (a five-game first-round loss to the Knicks), Cleveland currently sits in second place on the Eastern Conference playoff bracket and some have pegged them as the biggest threat to the top-ranked Boston Celtics. While there are no guarantees come the postseason, a long-term deal in Cleveland probably seems much more attractive to Mitchell than it did at this point last year.
The Knicks will face a crucial matchup with Mitchell and the Cavs over the weekend but an interconference showdown with the Golden State Warriors lands on Thursday night (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT).
