The recent news that the Jazz will likely extend All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell with a five-year maximum contract takes him off the table as a Knicks trade target this offseason, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
Bondy notes that there had been hope that Mitchell’s connection to new Knicks team president Leon Rose (he is represented by Rose’s former agency, CAA) might make the prospect of Mitchell demanding a trade to Madison Square Garden palatable. Mitchell played his AAU basketball in New York City.
There’s more out of the Empire State:
- At least one Jazz personnel member will be joining the Knicks for 2020/21. Former Jazz assistant coach Johnnie Bryant, who will be the associate head coach under new Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, officially signed his contract with the team following Utah’s elimination from the playoffs, according to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated (Twitter link).
- New Nets head coach Steve Nash will have his hands full with a litany of challenges and a loaded, win-now roster, per Steve Aschburner of NBA.com.
- The Knicks will have a variety of intriguing prospects to choose from with the No. 8 pick in the NBA draft, according to Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. Vorkunov appraises both the high-upside prospects and the low-risk options that should still be on the board by the time New York drafts.
Glad to hear that Knicks target Donovan Mitchell
But where are the assets?
It likely wouldn’t matter much. When a “superstar” becomes disgruntled, they/their agent have a lot of leverage to make it to their preferred destination. The assets rarely, if ever, equal the talent going back the other way. Most teams would rather take $0.40-$0.60 on the dollar than lose the player for nothing and have Rich Paul or somebody steer away players in the future.
I don’t think anyone needs to steer away players as a free agent destination from Utah. It’s not exactly a hot spot for nightlife that players gravitate to like Miami and LA or a great basketball history like Boston or Philly. Just the state of Utah does a fine job of steering away free agents.
Ever been to Utah? It’s quite nice there. Lots to see.
If you’re 60+ years old.
I’m sure it is nice there. But that doesn’t mean that NBA free agents are going to be flocking there either. The niceness is not exactly on par with the NBA lifestyle.
I agree, and I think they’ve compensated well for that by drafting or trading for most of their high-end talent over the years. Jazz fans are also frequently mentioned as being the most hostile to visiting teams, which I’m sure doesn’t endear them as a potential destination.
But I also think it’s easy to envision a scenario that could have played out with the Pelicans: AD wants to go to LA, but New Orleans trades him to Boston against his wishes because they like their trade package better. Rich Paul represents another blue chip prospect in 2025 when New Orleans has a high draft pick and exerts influence over the player to convince him to refuse to play for them because they didn’t gift wrap AD to the Lakers in 2019. Joe Owner doesn’t care about winning, won’t pay for good coaches, doesn’t invest in the comfiest locker room chairs, whatever.
I might just be jaded with how ugly the Carmelo Anthony trade demand was here in Denver, and I think it happens more in the NFL because roster turnover is so much higher each season and contracts aren’t fully guaranteed, but all of those off-court agent/front office relationships matter a lot with certain players.
If Knicks wanted to steer Mitchel away from Utah it would be a sign and trade deal. It would be hard for a player like him to sign a deal that is not a sign and trade deal.
It’s right decision to take Nets coaching job
I don’t believe that Bulls 76ers Pacers pay over $3 million a year for new coach
What kind of crackpot journalist thinks Mitchell might “demand” a trade to the worst run franchise in sports because he played a year or two of AAU there and his agent’s old boss is the GM? Almost as stupid as the Giannis to Toronto rumors because both he and Ujiri are African.
There’s an industry of basketball writers whose sole purpose is to constantly come up with crackpot theories on how the Knicks are poised to take the NBA by storm via an excellent draft pick or trade.
They may seem like fools but they are real people trying to earn a living.
I’m assuming the writer came up with the Mitchell to ny thing because it’s home.Sometimes players just wanna go home
I never thought he was coming. Most player take that first contract from the team that drafted them. Got put the m’s in the bank.
I doubt the signing will change Mitchell’s radar, whether set for NYC or not. Top players will take the income they can get, then force a trade if necessary.
Mitchell presumably gets what he wants in Utah— he certainly takes the shots he wants— but coming out of Louisville, he had a big personality and may need the biggest city to play in. He lived far enough outside of NYC to see it as more of a destination target than a place to be jaded to. Well GM Rose can hope so anyway.
NY is the media. We sell. Always been like that. Fans outside NY don’t get Knicks issue. We don’t have issues. We have an issue it’s called the owner. He’s not in basketball business. He’s in selling his company. He listens mostly to wrong people like Isiah. This is the first rebuild since he bought the team. And he’s stated he will stay out of it. With Rose and Thibs here. Two who know wats up here. They will see it thru. It’s the draft then a yr to see direction. So don’t believe all the nonsense out there. No one is making major trades till we build a team. It’s all about the draft.
Guy is an idiot. We won’t have a number of options. It’s the eight pick. Only if a player drops. Will we have options. Halliburton gone Hayes gone Deni gone. Then it will be who drops Okongwu or Okoro. Vassell is not going before them. And we are not trading up in a weak draft. When top two players. Play the position of our best two prospects. NY has biggest Jewish community in nation. They will not pass on Deni, plus he is worth the 8th pick. Bulls and Hawks like Deni too.