Name an NBA star. There’s a pretty decent chance that he’s been connected to the New York Knicks at some point. That makes sense. The Knicks play in the biggest market in the league. Meanwhile, they’ve got the assets to trade for a star as soon as one becomes available.
At one time, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were supposed to sign with them. Recently, we’ve seen suggestions that GIannis Antetokoumnpo or Joel Embiid could be due for New York as well. Meanwhile, last summer, the Knicks were seemingly zeroing in on a star guard. This team was clearly in the running to trade for Donovan Mitchell.
The pairing made sense. Mitchell has long been rumored to be interested in playing in a bigger market. Meanwhile, he’s a New York native. In the end, the Cleveland Cavaliers would acquire him. Could they send him to the Knicks this summer?
The Trade Proposal
Cleveland Cavaliers Receive: G/F RJ Barrett, G/F Evan Fournier, G Immanuel Quickley, 2026 First-Round Pick (NYK), 2028 First-Round Pick (NYK), 2030 First-Round Pick (Swap – NYK)
New York Knicks Receive: G Donovan Mitchell, G Ricky Rubio
Some have questioned the Cavaliers’ thinking when they acquired Mitchell. He’s a New York native. He’s looking to play in a bigger market. What made them think that he’d settle down in Cleveland?
These are fair questions. As a general rule, NBA teams should think about whether they’re likely to retain a player when they acquire him. We’re not writing this article out of thin air. There are whispers that Mitchell is already unhappy in Cleveland. With that in mind, it’s entirely possible that the Cavaliers are having buyer’s remorse.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers & New York Knicks Updates
On the other hand, fortune favors the brave; NBA teams need to take risks. The Cavaliers were likely expecting to have a stronger 2022-23 season after acquiring Mitchell. That could have enticed him to stay in town. Unfortunately, the Cavaliers were disappointing. Should they respond by trading Mitchell?
Why The Cleveland Cavaliers Do The Deal
The Cavaliers could use a wing. That was true throughout the entire 2022-23 season. They didn’t do much to address that concern this summer. Max Struss is a good player, but he doesn’t have the size that the Cavaliers ought to be seeking at the 3. Guess who does?
Granted, Barrett may not be the exact wing that Cavaliers fans are hoping for. They may prefer a 3-and-D. Meanwhile, Barrett is an inconsistent shooter, and his defense is roughly average. On the other hand, he does have more upside as a shot creator and playmaker than most wings that Cleveland could acquire. Those are qualities they’ll need to make up in Mitchell’s absence.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers & New York Knicks Updates
With that said, Quickly will cover some of those bases as well. He’s a promising young guard with some star upside. Throw in a pair of first-round picks and a swap, and this deal could convince the Cavaliers to send Mitchell to his hometown Knicks. Should New York bring Mitchell home?
Why The New York Knicks Do The Deal
Why not? Mitchell is the best player in this deal by a wide margin. The Knicks are in win-now mode. They should only hesitate to make a roster upgrade if the player they’re receiving is a poor fit. Is that the case with Mitchell?
We don’t think so. Sure, he and Jalen Brunson have some skill overlap. That’s fine. Each man has enough playmaking chops to keep the other involved in the offence. They’d also form one of the most talented backcourts in the NBA. The pair of star guards alongside Julius Randle could give the Knicks one of the best offences in the NBA.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers & New York Knicks Updates
They shouldn’t worry about the cost they’re paying, either. With so much offense on their new roster, Josh Hart is a better fit at the 3 than Barrett would be anyway. Mitchell is replacing Quickley, and the Knicks didn’t even play Fournier last year. The Knicks shouldn’t hesitate to part with this package for Mitchell – they’d finally be landing one of the stars they’ve been linked to.
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