1 Dream, 1 reach, 1 realistic star for Knicks to target in offseason trade

Realistic Knicks trade target: Donovan Mitchell

Out of the three players on this list, Mitchell is most likely to be traded this summer. The Cavaliers are "optimistic" that he'll sign an extension to stay in Ohio. If that doesn't happen and Cleveland listens to trade offers, several interested suitors will emerge.

The Knicks could be back in the running, although SNY's Ian Begley reported that they won't be as aggressive as they were two years ago. Mitchell has a $37 million player option for 2025-26 that he could decline to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. The Cavaliers would trade him before he could walk away for nothing.

New York should already be thinking about how much it'd be willing to offer in a trade for Mitchell. Teams like Brooklyn and Miami are expected to be interested in the star guard and could be willing to offer more. The Knicks will need to draw a line in the sand.

Mitchell isn't a priority for New York, even though in 2022, many believed he'd be the one to save the Knicks. Jalen Brunson has since emerged as one of the best players in the league. Whoever the front office trades for will need to fit well alongside Brunson. If there are too many concerns about a Brunson-Mitchell backcourt, maybe New York will pass.

Some Knicks fans thought the world ended a couple of years ago when the Cavaliers traded for Mitchell. That didn't happen. The world will keep spinning if they "miss out" on him again in 2024.