3 reasons fans should be rooting for Knicks-Cavaliers playoff chaos
1: End the Donovan Mitchell talk with a series win
The only thing that has put the Donovan Mitchell-Knicks talk on hold is how New York has played as of late. Because the Knicks are the Knicks, the organization was clowned for not cashing in for the 26-year-old.
In retrospect, New York might’ve lost players like Immanuel Quickley and Quentin Grimes to Utah in a deal. Yes, Mitchell is a star, but this Knicks team would look drastically different. Not caving to Danny Ainge’s demands hasn’t put New York in the bad position that many assumed it would.
Mitchell could decline his $37 million player option during the 2025 offseason and enter free agency, but who knows what the Knicks will look like at that point. For now, though, there’s no use in continuing to dwell on what might’ve been.
A first-round playoff series between the Knicks and Cavaliers would be must-watch basketball simply because of it being the team that everyone thought Mitchell would end up on versus the team that actually got him. Not only would Knicks fans be able to rejoice about advancing to the second round of the playoffs for the second time in this century if New York knocked off Cleveland, but the series win should end the Donovan Mitchell-Knicks talk once and for all.
Yes, Stephen A. would likely still be screaming on First Take about it, but he doesn’t count. What would count is sending Mitchell and the Cavaliers packing when it mattered.
New York and Cleveland meeting up in the first round would be full of some of the most stressful moments that Knicks fans have experienced in a while (and that’s saying something), but it would also be a prime opportunity for New York to prove that this year’s team has what it takes to survive and advance.
