Knicks Rumors: Donovan Mitchell the most likely star trade target?
By Adam Kester
Knicks Rumors: Everything linking Donovan Mitchell to New York
The talk around Donovan Mitchell being unhappy in Utah and non-commital long-term goes back a few years.
We’ve had reports about the chemistry between Mitchell and the other Utah Jazz cornerstone Rudy Gobert in the past.
Just a month ago, we got a report from Fox Sports’ Ric Bucher, who stated the following:
"“The incessant buzz around the league is that there are those in Mitchell’s circle who believe he is too big of a star for Salt Lake City. Further, some say it’s only a matter of time before he joins former Creative Artists Agency agent and current New York Knicks president Leon Rose. ‘They’re a first-round exit from Donovan being in New York,’ an Eastern Conference scout said.”"
It’s not just the unhappiness in Utah, it’s the emphasis on the Knicks, Mitchell’s hometown team, that makes this interesting.
As I am obligated to do, I would like to inform everyone that I played against Donovan Mitchell and his AAU team “The City” in high school — they cooked us. But yes, he’s a New Yorker, and his love for the city is frequently displayed on his social media accounts.
Mitchell’s dad worked in the New York Mets’ front office, and Mitchell spent chunks of his childhood in Major League Baseball locker rooms and is a die-hard Mets fan.
But let’s forget about his favorite baseball team for a second and talk about what’s far more important — the state of the Utah Jazz.
The Jazz have a very good basketball team. They’re a very good team that’s stuck.
They have a record of 37-22 and look well-positioned for the playoffs. The problem is, they’re not making any progress. They’ve been in this same spot for really, the entirety of Mitchell’s career.
Really, being a playoff team, but not a contender, is far from the worst position you can be in as an NBA franchise. Yet for someone like Mitchell, who is taking a hit to his own brand and marketability from being in Utah, you really have to be a legitimate championship contender to be recognized.
We have a laundry list of reports about this long-term concern. Here’s one from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst back in June of last year, commenting on Dwyane Wade (A minority owner of the Jazz) and his concerns over Mitchell’s long-term commitment.
So with all of these different Knicks rumors and reports about Donovan Mitchell’s desire to go to leave Utah and go to New York, reports that never seem to be refuted, how can New York land Spida?