Rewind the time to 2022 and the New York Knicks were regularly linked to All-Star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell. The then Utah Jazz star was headed toward a split with his former team and the Knicks were in the market for a new No. 1 scoring option.
New York instead traded for Jalen Brunson and made the once controversial decision to pass on pairing him with Mitchell. Four years later, that decision appears to be coming to a head.
New York made offers for Mitchell, but was ultimately unwilling to meet Utah's asking price. He was thus instead traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2022. He's made them a perennial postseason competitor during his tenure, and is now on the cusp of making personal history by reaching the Conference Finals for the first time in his otherwise illustrious career.
With Cleveland leading the No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons 3-2 in their second-round series, Mitchell may soon have a chance to make the Knicks regret not trading for him.
The flip side of that conversation, however, is that New York can vindicate itself for its controversial roster decision. It didn't just choose Brunson to be its new franchise player, but ultimately opted to deprioritize Mitchell and allow him to join an Eastern Conference foe.
Compounded by the fact that the Knicks have made several costly trades in the years since, the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals could be the perfect opportunity to prove they were right all along.
Donovan Mitchell is one win away from facing Knicks in playoffs
The Knicks may never live down choosing Frank Ntilikina over Mitchell at the 2017 NBA Draft. Four players were at least selected between Ntilikina and Mitchell, however, whereas the Knicks all but directly opted to go with Brunson over a far more proven commodity at the time.
Brunson has rewarded New York's faith, leading the team to its only two Eastern Conference Finals appearances since 2000.
The harsh reality at the time, however, was that Mitchell was already a three-time All-Star and a proven postseason performer. Though he's yet to reach the Conference Finals, he'd averaged 28.3 points per game in five postseason appearances with the Jazz.
Brunson had averaged 21.6 points per game during the 2022 NBA Playoffs, helping Luka Doncic lead the Dallas Mavericks to the Conference Finals, but he was still the far less proven player—particularly as a No. 1.
Knicks tried to trade for Donovan Mitchell in 2022, but refused to meet asking price
With the assets saved from not trading for Mitchell, however, the Knicks have been able to orchestrate pivotal moves. That includes trades for OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Karl-Anthony Towns—all of whom have played starring roles during playoff wins in 2026.
They also epitomize the very nature of New York's identity and strength as a team, as they provide size, defensive versatility, and well-rounded offensive skill sets along the wings and interior.
None of this is to say that trading for Mitchell would've been a bad idea from the perspective of his individual capabilities. He's a seven-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA honoree who could've thrived with the Knicks. Instead, it's to celebrate New York's asset management and its willingness to stand its ground in lopsided negotiations.
A potential Conference Finals encounter with Mitchell could thus act as the ultimate vindication for the Knicks' prioritization of the assets that enabled them to build the current roster.
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