The offseason that New York Knicks fans have been waiting for has maybe finally come around. After already acquiring Jalen Brunson in NBA free agency, via a network of intricate salary-shedding trades that showcased the brilliance of executives Leon Rose and World Wide Wes, the Knicks are rumored to be in hot pursuit of Utah Jazz superstar shooting guard Donovan Mitchell.
After trading away Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves in return for a massive haul that contained a mixed bag of veteran players, young prospects, and future draft compensation, Jazz President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge implied that Utah would be looking to retool around Spida rather than trading him to launch a full rebuild.
Soon after, though, it was reported that the Jazz would be willing to at least discuss potential trades involving the star guard. Of course, the Knicks threw their hat in the ring, as it’s the league’s worst-kept secret that Mitchell and New York have a mutual interest in each other.
While the Knicks have been steadily pursuing big-name stars for nearly a decade now, acquiring Donovan Mitchell might not be the wisest move for them at this time, especially after signing Jalen Brunson.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: Perfect Trade Package To Send Donovan Mitchell To New York Knicks
While pairing the two would give New York their most star-studded backcourt since perhaps Stephon Marbury and Jamal Crawford were getting buckets together, their new guard tandem would present plenty of issues as well.
For one, both Mitchell and Brunson do their best work with the ball in their hands, driving to the cup. While both are potent scorers from the perimeter as well, taking the ball out of either of their hands makes them a much less dangerous threat. That being said, while they’re not a perfect fit on offense, most of their concerns will stem from the other end of the court.
Both Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell are undersized at their positions, and neither is an impactful defender. Even with Rudy Gobert roaming the paint behind him, Utah failed to build a competent defense around Spida that could carry them through the playoffs.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: Perfect Trade Package To Send Donovan Mitchell To New York Knicks
The Knicks would likely encounter the same problem building around a Brunson-Mitchell backcourt. New York would have to ensure that nearly every other player on the floor is an excellent defender which will be a toweringly tall task, especially if R.J. Barrett is part of the deal that brings Mitchell home and Julius Randle is not.
