It's been over 30 years since the path for the New York Knicks making it to the NBA Finals has been as clear as it is in 2025-26. Already, they rank second in the East standings with a dominant record of 20-8, rank fourth in the always valuable point differential department, and find two conference juggernauts in the Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics crippled by injuries.
However, a new idea proposed by Bill Simmons would make such a journey even easier for New York if it were to actually come to fruition, as it would add a once-prominent competitor to this aforementioned list of the fallen.
Cavs trading Donovan Mitchell would be blessing for Knicks
During a recent episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, The Ringer founder discussed the current situation of the Cleveland Cavaliers, the reigning number one seed in the conference standings, who have been seen as a top-flight title threat since their acquisition of Donovan Mitchell back in the summer of 2022.
However, through 29 games played in year four of this star-focused experiment, the Cavs have struggled mightily to stay afloat out East, as they reside in the seventh seed with a record of 15-14 while boasting the league's highest payroll at $232 million.
To Simmons, being they are roughly $22 million over the dreaded second apron, Cleveland is "a team that's really hard to fix," as they are severely restricted in the trade department with the new CBA, and actively have players on the team, like Mitchell, that look "bummed out" with the way their season is going.
Because of this, Simmons proposed that the Cavs might want to consider pulling off what he described as the "nuclear option" of calling it quits on the All-Star's tenure in The Land and shipping him outbound.
"It will cost them $163 million in second apron taxes if they just keep the number of the roster the way it is. So that would mean it would be a $400 million season for them to potentially be a seventh seed and lose in round one... The only other option they have, which is the nuclear option, which should be to trade Donovan Mitchell," Simmons said.
Despite their struggles over these first few months of the year, with an All-NBA talent like Mitchell in tow, along with a truly elite coach such as Kenny Atkinson, Cleveland still has the capability of becoming a serious conference threat come playoff time, which, in turn, makes them a potential hurdle the Knicks will need to hop over en route to a championship-round bid.
According to the oddsmakers, even amid their treading water stretch of play, the Cavs are still the number one threat to the Knicks out East.
However, should their pedestrian level of success continue, GM Koby Altman and company may realistically opt to choose financial stability over clinging to the hope of a postseason surge
A trade involving Mitchell leaving Ohio would almost certainly trigger a rebuild for the Cavaliers, which, in turn, would weaken yet another direct threat to New York's title push.