The New York Knicks have emerged as top contenders in the Donovan Mitchell sweepstakes as soon as the Utah Jazz made the All-Star guard available in trade talks. However, it appears that the Knicks aren’t willing to “sell the house” to bring the New York state native to the Garden.
A recent report from The Athletic‘s Tony Jones says that the Knicks are discouraged in their pursuit of Mitchell after learning about Jazz’s asking price. It appears that Utah wants to top the Rudy Gobert trade, which essentially saw them get five first-rounders, and then some.
Jones reports that Jazz wants six first-round picks from the Knicks while also requiring the NY team to include several young players in the deal. The list reportedly includes Quentin Grimes, Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin, and Miles McBride. As things currently stand, this is too steep of a price for the Knicks, and Utah will have to come down significantly before a deal is possible.
Several other teams have been engaged with Jazz to test the possibility of trading for Donovan Mitchell. The Miami Heat are mentioned as the most likely destination for the 25-year-old player besides the Knicks, with teams like the New Orleans Pelicans also being interested. However, none have been willing to commit to the type of offer Utah is asking.
Mitchell made his third consecutive All-Star appearance in 2021-22 after averaging 25.9 points and 4.2 rebounds. He also had career-high 5.3 assists and 1.5 steals.
