No Way, RJ? Jazz’s Trade Thoughts on Knicks' Barrett
Some New York Knicks fans are under the impression that they might have to choose between RJ Barrett and Donovan Mitchell. Intel from Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer suggests that such a decision might not be necessary.
Speaking on the "Please Don’t Aggregate This" podcast, Fischer reported that the Utah Jazz "don’t really have much interest in trading for RJ Barrett" in a potential deal that would send Mitchell east.
While Barrett is likely the most attractive bargaining chip on the Knicks' current roster (having just turned 22 and averaging 20 points last season), the Jazz are reportedly concerned about the financials surrounding him.
Barrett has until the start of the 2022-23 season to sign a contract extension or he will otherwise become a restricted free agent. He will potentially seek a max extension, as will Utah's fellow target from abroad and Barrett's fellow 2019 draftee Tyler Herro of Miami.
As they inch closer to a full-on rebuild, the Jazz are likely looking for affordable building blocks guaranteed to be sticking around the franchise. It's perhaps fair to wonder if their lack of interest hurts the Knicks' case for Mitchell: if the Jazz are balking on taking on future Barrett commitments ... ones that haven't even been formally inked ... it's highly unlikely they'd be willing to take on, say, Julius Randle's four-year, $117 million extension, which kicks in this year.
But Utah reportedly set their sights on the Knicks' draft picks surplus while also keeping an eye on Summer League standout Quentin Grimes. As they run, the Mitchell trade talks have reportedly hit a stalemate of sorts as the Jazz are seeking out all options before moving forward with what would undoubtedly be an informal yet firm declaration of a recovery project in Salt Lake City.
