New York Knicks fans expected this offseason to be all about Jalen Brunson, but all seasoned Knicks fans know that it isn’t really summer in New York without the hopes and dreams of a new star acquisition.
Coming up to the batter’s box this year is three-time All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell. Reports released that the Knicks and Utah Jazz were in serious trade negotiations to send the guard to his home of New York, where he has many connections with his father being a part of the Mets organization.
But this isn’t like most other summer rumors because this trade has been a deal that was seemingly destined to be at least talked about with the Jazz’s exit in the first round of this year’s playoffs against the Mavericks.
Of course, no decision is going to have all Knicks fans 100% in agreement with each other over what exactly the right course of action is.
After reports came out that general manager Danny Ainge is looking for a historic haul from the Knicks in order for the deal to go through, many fans are concerned if Mitchell is even worth it.
However, even if New York does give up a historic haul to acquire Mitchell, there would still be many major benefits the Knicks would receive from the trade, and here are three of them.
3 reasons the New York Knicks would benefit from a Donovan Mitchell trade
Reason 1: Culture shift
Above all else, the Knicks need a reputation change. As the brand currently stands, they are a team in the biggest market in the heart of the media capital of the world, yet they struggle to attract star power in the free agency market. Time and time again we hear of New York free agency and trade rumors just to be left in a perpetual cycle of hope followed by disappointment.
The last multiple-time All-Star to play for the Knicks in their prime was Carmelo Anthony (more on him later), who left in 2017. Mitchell would not only be the first multi-time All-Star in their prime to play for the Knicks since Melo, but he would also be a great commodity to have in pursuit of attracting other perennial stars to the team in the future.
He also happens to be from New York and he would be a unique example of a star that is more than willing to accept the challenge of wearing orange and blue for the city. For the first time in half a decade, there would be significant star power in the Mecca of basketball and that type of atmosphere is necessary for a team’s long-term success in this star-driven league.
Reason 2: A higher ceiling
A common fear among many Knicks fans surrounding a Donovan Mitchell trade is that we would be mortgaging our future in pursuit of a single player, similarly to the Melo trade made years ago.
However, there is one key difference between that trade and this potential one. In the season before trading for Melo, the Knicks earned a record of 29-53. New York’s best scorers were David Lee, Wilson Chandler, and Danilo Gallinari, who were all gone by the beginning of the following season.
In a trade scenario with the Jazz, there is a very high chance that the Knicks starting roster is going to remain intact while simply adding Mitchell. He would be joining a roster including a core of RJ Barrett, Jalen Brunson, and Julius Randle.
The Carmelo Anthony trade gutted the Knicks roster at the time and saw Melo join a hobbled Amar’e Stoudemire. At worst, this trade would gut the team’s depth in terms of the current roster, but depth is something that can be replaced. Star power and high-end talent, however, are not so easy to come by.
What Mitchell would offer the franchise is a major step in building a contender. It certainly wouldn’t be the only step required to get there, but not every team is going to go from missing the playoffs to being a contender overnight.
Reason 3: Direction
The newest Knicks regime featuring Leon Rose and World Wide Wes have mostly been hovering in a realm of nothingness. They make the safe moves they should make and they avoid things they should avoid. They have yet to really showcase to the people of New York and the Knicks fanbase around the world that they are willing to push their chips to the center of the table for something they believe in.
We have seen them avoid high draft picks to either draft later in the round or forfeit their picks entirely in the interest of gaining assets in the form of future picks. What the Donovan Mitchell trade would do for the Knicks regime is finally communicate to fans that they are willing to take a swing at a potential game changer.
Yes, it may be a risky trade, but sometimes risks can lead to championships (see the Toronto Raptors) and risks are necessary for the Knicks to remove themselves from the mediocrity the team has seen. This bet on a young star may not just provide New York’s roster with some security for the future, but may also secure the current regime’s seats in the front office.
Another sign of a successful franchise is continuity in the staff as well as the roster and this trade could provide just that.
What would a Donovan Mitchell trade mean for Knicks fans?
With trade rumors circulating around 3-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell, New York Knicks fans are excited about a potential lineup for this upcoming season.