Why The New York Knicks Do The Deal
In all likelihood, Donovan Mitchell won’t lead the Knicks to the 2022-23 NBA Finals. In fact, given their current roster, it’s possible that he won’t even get them to the playoffs.
After all, they’re trading his would-be co-star in Julius Randle here. Whether you think that’s wise depends on whether you put more stock in Randle’s sterling 2020-21 season, or his putrid 2021-22 follow-up. Either way, this deal isn’t strictly about 2022-23 for the Knicks.
Landing Mitchell will be part of a multiyear plan for the storied franchise. Realistically, this is about finally making New York an appealing destination again as much as anything.
Rostering a star like Mitchell should attract other talent. Granted, the Knicks won’t have one of the league’s deepest collections of draft capital following this deal – they’ll have emptied much of their clip. Still, having Mitchell could attract free agents, something the Knicks have struggled to do in recent years.
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Basically, he returns the franchise to relevancy. They’re not just the woeful Knicks anymore – they’re the team that rosters Donovan Mitchell. That alone could bring them more opportunities than any number of first-round picks might.
