The New York Knicks have done a good job this NBA offseason upgrading the roster in free agency. They cleared enough cap space to sign Jalen Brunson away from the Dallas Mavericks to fill the void they have had at the point guard position seemingly since Walt Frazier.
Isaiah Hartenstein was signed to bolster the frontcourt as well, as he will pair with the re-signed Mitchell Robinson at the center spot.
But, everyone is waiting for the other foot to drop when it comes to the Knicks. A trade is likely as they have too many players worthy of rotation minutes to appease everyone. Consolidating some of those players is certainly one route that the team could go.
New York has the assets to swing a big trade, it is a matter of who will they target? Could Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz be who they use a large portion of the assets they have collected on?
The Jazz is now listening to trade calls for Mitchell but the asking price is high. After landing five players, all of which are expiring or on team-friendly deals and four first-round picks from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Rudy Gobert, they are looking to acquire just as much for Mitchell.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND RUMORS: New York Knicks ‘Quickly’ Expected To Pursue Donovan Mitchell Trade
The Knicks can certainly fulfill the desire for draft picks, as they have up to eight that they can include in a deal. Derrick Rose can be viewed as an expiring contract as the last season of his contract is a team option. Obi Toppin, Quentin Grimes, Cam Reddish, Immanuel Quickley, Deuce McBride and Jericho Sims are young players on their first or team-friendly contracts that could be included.
One player you will notice that is absent from that list is RJ Barrett. He would likely be the first person that the Jazz ask for in a trade, but he isn’t someone that the front office has any interest in including in a trade.
That is the stance that the Knicks should take when it comes to Barrett. He has a chance to develop into the All-Star level producer that they are looking to acquire, and if you want any chance of contending, you need multiple players of that caliber on the roster.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND RUMORS: New York Knicks ‘Quickly’ Expected To Pursue Donovan Mitchell Trade
Barrett and the Knicks are confident they can work out a rookie extension for him this offseason, which would make him the first player since Charlie Ward to sign a multi-year extension as a first-round pick of the team. Ward was selected in 1994 to give context to how long it has been.
