The New York Knicks will clearly look to make a push for Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell when the opportunity presents itself.
It could take a while before the Knicks get the chance to even pursue Mitchell though. He is set to be a restricted free agent in the offseason and it was reported previously that he will finalize a max extension with the Jazz before the start of next season.
According to SNY’s Ian Begley, some of Mitchell’s teammates have expressed uncertainty whether he’d stay with the Jazz long-term.
For those Knicks fans holding out hope for Mitchell it’s worth noting that earlier in the 2019-20 season, some of Mitchell’s teammates privately expressed uncertainty over whether he’d remain with the Jazz long-term.
When putting the pieces together, it’s worth asking…could Mitchell depart the Jazz for the Knicks after his contract extension expires? He would be an unrestricted free agent in that situation and would have the option to sign with New York if he wanted to do so.
When going down the line in the future, it has become difficult to envision small market teams operate with their All-Stars playing on expiring deals. If Mitchell doesn’t get a deal done with the Jazz before the final year of his next deal, a trade shouldn’t be ruled out.
So much can change in the NBA even on a year-to-year basis, let alone during such a long period such as the life of Mitchell’s next contract. Perhaps the greatest example was the Indiana Pacers went from competing in the Eastern Conference Finals with Paul George to trading him to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
If the Utah Jazz fails to emerge as title contenders, it wouldn’t be wise to rule out the possibility of Donovan Mitchell’s departure — one way or another. Until then, it will surely be something to monitor with the New York Knicks being a frequently mentioned potential landing spot
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