Why The New York Knicks Do The Deal 

There is an obvious irony in this deal. The Cleveland Cavaliers, frankly, snatched Donovan Mitchell from under the Knicks’ noses this summer. 

On the other hand, perhaps it was for the bet. Mitchell is an excellent player – one of the 20 or so best in the NBA. Still, he’s not quite the caliber of player that singlehandedly launches a team into contention. Realistically, he’s the final touch for an already-talented team to get better. 

In other words, the Knicks are more than a Mitchell away from title contention. 

With that in mind, they’re probably better off staying the course and collecting as much draft capital as possible. This deal doesn’t net them much – only swap rights to the Cavs’ 2024 selection.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Cam Reddish, Cleveland Cavaliers & New York Knicks Updates

On the other hand, they’re not parting with much either. It’s obvious that this team isn’t high on Reddish. He fell entirely out of their rotation by the end of 2021-22. Landing a stabilizing veteran in Rubio and even a remote chance of improving their 2024 pick is a solid return with that context in mind. 

Of course, that leads us to another concern. If Reddish couldn’t cut the Knicks rotation, what makes us think he’d be the answer for the Cavaliers?