Donovan Mitchell Trade Talks Reignite

Even after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs this past season, the Knicks and their fans were subjected to reading and listening to endless rants about why the Knicks missed Donovan Mitchell. Luckily, for much of the offseason, we all got a break from the Mitchell trade talks and the talks surrounding the Knicks were mostly around the addition of Donte DiVincenzo and potential moves for other stars like Karl-Anthony Towns, Paul George, Zach LaVine, and Joel Embiid. But those times didn’t last long because we’re back where we started.

“I don’t think there’s any chance he signs an extension there ever, and if it was up to me I would trade Donovan Mitchell today,” Tim Bontemps recently said on The Hoop Collective Podcast. “I don’t think the Cavs are getting as far as they hope to next year, and I don’t think he’s gonna extend, and I think they’ll get a lot more for him with two summers left than they will with one summer left.”

Bontemps did clarify that he is aware that the Cavaliers are unlikely to do so, but the point remains. There are people around the league who strongly believe that Mitchell won’t stay put in Cleveland in the long run, and that means the inevitable inclusion of the Knicks in trade rumors. It happens with most stars in the league, but given Mitchell’s history with New York and the team, it’s no surprise that these rumors continue to linger.

As of now, there are no known reports of how serious the Knicks would be in a potential re-pursuit of Mitchell. And given their recent success with star point guard Jalen Brunson, there’s a real possibility that the front office, who seemed determined to bring Mitchell in last year, has cooled down on the idea of doing so this time around. After all, the Knicks, even with a hobbled Julius Randle, did dismantle Mitchell and the Cavaliers with relative ease not too long ago. That being said, it seems like fans will need to buckle in as these rumors linking Mitchell to the Knicks will likely continue to pop up as long as an extension remains unsigned.