Brian Windhorst reveals Jazz’s timeline for a Knicks-Donovan Mitchell trade

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - MARCH 04: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz reacts against the New Orleans Pelicans during a game at the Smoothie King Center on March 04, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - MARCH 04: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz reacts against the New Orleans Pelicans during a game at the Smoothie King Center on March 04, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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Could it be? Could Donovan Mitchell really soon be traded to the New York Knicks? Has Danny Ainge finally come to his senses?

The Utah Jazz’s high asking price is what’s kept trade talks from progressing. Although a Donovan Mitchell-Knicks trade seems to be inevitable at this point, the belief has been that a trade would happen either right before or during training camp.

Since the Jazz traded Patrick Beverley to the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday in exchange for Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson, it’s become even more evident that a Mitchell trade is on the horizon. The 25-year-old guard still has three guaranteed years left on his deal with Utah, and while the idea of Mitchell staying with the Jazz has been floated around, that seems nearly impossible at this point.

Ainge has fleeced teams in the past, but New York’s front office not caving to his bizarre demands proves that the organization is far different from what it once was. The Knicks want Donovan Mitchell, but they’ve shown that they’re not going to give up everything in order to get him.

SNY’s Ian Begley reported on Friday that the Cleveland Cavaliers had dropped out of the Spida sweepstakes and that the trade’s still New York’s “to lose.” Ainge’s ploys haven’t worked. And according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Jazz want to trade Mitchell before the start of training camp.

The Jazz reportedly want to get a Knicks-Donovan Mitchell trade done before training camp

Now, if there’s someone that Knicks fans should trust, it’s Windhorst. After the Jazz traded Royce O’Neale to the Brooklyn Nets, Windhorst hinted on television that a Rudy Gobert trade was happening next. Guess who was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves that same day?

With Windhorst reporting that Utah’s trying to “apply the gas”, a trade could be taking place in the very near future. But that doesn’t mean that Danny Ainge is going to settle for any offer from New York, but the Jazz have lost their supposed leverage.

The Knicks’ latest offer for Mitchell wasn’t enough and the two teams are reportedly haggling over the number of unprotected picks to include in a deal. Ainge is reportedly looking for four.

Donovan Mitchell hasn’t said that he wants to be a Knick, but others have said it for him. Ainge may have been trying to apply pressure to New York over the last month or so, but even he knows that the Knicks are going to soon be Donovan Mitchell’s new team.

Do you see that? Is that the light at the end of the tunnel? It sure looks like it. New York’s waiting for you, Spida.