The New York Knicks have long been rumored to have an interest in Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers from the Utah Jazz in 2022, sending the Jazz three first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps, Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, and Ochai Agbaji. The Knicks didn’t beat that offer but waiting could’ve been the wise thing to do in the long run. With a chance to hit free agency at the end of the 2024-25 season, the Cavaliers could look to move Mitchell before that to get the biggest return.
If that’s the case, the Knicks could be a team that offers the Cavaliers what they’re looking for. However, NBA insider Brian Windhorst of ESPN wonders if the Knicks and Mitchell pairing is still a possibility. On an episode of ESPN’s “First Take,” Windhorst gave his thoughts about the situation.
“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. I don’t know how he feels, but I got to imagine as a kid from New York, who wanted to play for the Knicks in 2022, that’s where he wanted to get traded. It’s not an insult to Cleveland. I’m from Cleveland. I’m not insulting it. He wanted to be a Knick.”
Windhorst Believes Mitchell Could Want What Jalen Brunson Has
Windhorst added that Mitchell could see what Jalen Brunson has and wish it was him. As a New York City kid watching Brunson get all the praise that Mitchell would’ve gotten, could hurt a bit.
“He’s gotta be looking at what Jalen Brunson has and feeling like, ‘Damn, that could have been me.’
“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.”
He finishes his talk by saying he isn’t sure if they fit if the pairing makes sense.
One would have to play off the ball, something they haven’t done for the past few seasons. Mitchell typically has the ball in his hands for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the same could be said for Brunson with the New York Knicks.
However, we’ve seen stars pair up and figure that out. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, among others, have had to figure out how to play without the ball in their hands for every possession.
What Donovan Mitchell Would Bring the Knicks
Mitchell brings the New York Knicks another scorer who can give them 30-plus points on any given night. He’s one of the best scorers in basketball, as evident by his 28.2 points per game on 47.4% shooting this season.
The 27-year-old is shooting 37% from three-point range on 9.1 attempts per game, adding another element to his scoring abilities.
Fitting in with Brunson would take time, but Mitchell is one of the top scorers in basketball and could make this Knicks offense one of the best in the NBA.
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