Knicks still trying to find a way to bring Donovan Mitchell Go home in a meaningful way.
The Knicks were demoralized by the initial demands of Utah team president Danny Ainge for a first-round pick and seven-player package in July, according to multiple industry sources. But lately it’s been going back and forth.
Sources say the Knicks’ main concern is abandoning too many future assets, which could leave them stranded in much lower territory than championship contenders.
They think adding Mitchell is enough to leap to 47 wins in 10 games. That would put them straight into the playoffs as a viable second round threat.
They have a backcourt tandem of Jalen Branson and Mitchell, RJ Barrett in the frontcourt, Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, and Derrick Rose and Immanuel Quickley as the top two guards off the bench for a top six team in the East. Excited to be. .
But letting go of all qualifying first-round picks would put the Knicks in a place where they would probably be prevented from making another significant trade to take the next step for years.
The Knicks went 37-45 during a bitter 2021-22 season. The championship drought will reach his 50th year if he doesn’t win this year in June.
“Going from 47 to 57 is harder than going from 37 to 47,” a coaching source said.
Under team president Leon Rose’s administration, stockpiling draft picks was a central strategy, and chief strategist Brock Aller was a top influencer. But the Knicks have already traded his 2022 Lotto pick to make room in his cap. Sign for Bransonthe long-awaited point guard.
The Knicks could also lose an additional first-round pick as they investigate whether the NBA will punish them for tampering with Branson.
Coach Tom Thibodeau still has a keen interest in nicking Mitchell, and has been keeping himself under wraps lately, knowing that offseason work hasn’t been completed.
Around the league, Thibodeau would rather abandon shooting guard Quentin Grimes, who finished a solid rookie year, and Summer League, where he looked faster and more chiseled, than give up on signing Barrett. Grimes is a better defender than Barrett and also a 3-point shooter.
Ainge is keen to acquire Grimes for Jazz’s rebuilding plan. One individual thinks Grimes is likely to join Utah because the backcourt of Branson and Mitchell will be an obstacle to becoming a starter for the Knicks. Grimes is from Houston and played part of his career at the University of Kansas.
Thibodeau pushed Grimes in the 2021 draft and believes he fits well in the Mitchell-Branson scenario.
According to a recent report from ESPN insider Stephen A. Smith, the Jazz are interested in Barrett and have cut their demand to six first-round picks. Smith reported that the Knicks may be open to giving up his four first-round picks.
Other clubs, such as the Heat, are reportedly involved in Mitchell’s negotiations.
Parts of the Knicks organization aren’t entirely convinced Barrett deserves a $185 million rookie extension for up to four years, even though his scoring average jumped to 20.8 points in 2021-2022. Hmm. He shot just 40.6 percent.
Barrett was eligible for the rookie extension on July 1, but the Knicks will have to see how Mitchell’s sweepstakes play out. Ainge would probably prefer to negotiate Barrett’s contract.
Mitchell wants to be Nick, and that’s a big thing for the team’s executives. Mitchell started out this offseason by attending a Rangers playoff game, and most recently made an appearance at Rucker Park on Thursday to stand out in New York. was The Westchester County native usually spends his offseason in New York City, but last summer he made a public appearance at Naomi Osaka’s tennis event in Queens last August. was only once.
The downside to passing Mitchell is coming up with a solid alternative plan to go from 37 to 47. Branson might not be enough.
“Mitchell makes sense all over the world,” said one Western Conference scout. “It may seem obvious, but to win in the NBA, you need at least two key perimeter players. With almost Major Branson and Mitch, you’re on the right track. And Leaving Barrett in third (although he might be in fourth) is even more so, but the best-case scenario is if they can get rid of Randle in the process.”
A Randle trade is unlikely to happen in a straight deal with Utah, requiring a three-team scenario. said it would be an awkward combination to be with.
Though Thibodeau has, incredibly, not spoken to the press since the season finale on April 10, a source said the Knicks coach was overjoyed with Branson’s arrival. He thinks he can turn Branson from a “B-minus player to a B-plus player.”
On the contrary, the Mavericks viewed second-round pick Brunson as a standout. As such, owner Mark his Cuban had no interest in responding to his four-year, $104 million offer for the Knicks.
We may not know until September if Branson and Mitchell will tandem. Ainge doesn’t seem to be winning this season, so he’s willing to wait until training camp starts.
Ainge has been unable to initiate meaningful bidding wars with other teams. Rose and Ainge are thus caught up in the high-stakes “Spida” poker game.
