According to NBA insider Howard Beck, Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Donovan Mitchell “still wants to play” for the New York Knicks.
Mitchell thought he was going to get traded to the Knicks last offseason. However, the All-Star got dealt to the Cavaliers instead. New York and Cleveland met in the first round of the 2023 playoffs and the Knicks beat the Cavaliers in five games.
In November 2020, Mitchell signed a five-year, $163 million rookie-scale extension with the Utah Jazz. He’ll make $32.6 million this season and $34.8 million in 2024-25.
Mitchell has a player option worth $37 million for the 2025-26 season. He has already stated that he won’t sign an extension with the Cavaliers this year.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Donovan Mitchell, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers Updates
Mitchell was born and raised in New York. Two of his close friends, Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, play for the Knicks. If the Cavaliers don’t advance past the first round of the playoffs this season or get off to a slow start, the Mitchell-to-Knicks trade rumors are going to get very loud.
Mitchell is one of the top players in the NBA. He averaged 28.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists last season in 68 games. Mitchell scored 71 points versus the Chicago Bulls in January. He has established himself as one of the most electric scorers in the game.
The Knicks are monitoring Mitchell as a trade target, according to NBA insider Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Mitchell doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract, so he can’t force his way to New York.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Donovan Mitchell, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers Updates
The Knicks lost to the Miami Heat in the 2023 Eastern Conference Semifinals in six games. Many NBA pundits are surprised New York president Leon Rose hasn’t made a trade yet given all of his connections through CAA. Maybe Rose is waiting for Mitchell to become available again after failing to acquire the guard last offseason.
Want the latest NBA analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click Here. Follow NBA Analysis Network on Twitter and Facebook.
Interested in reading the latest storylines and analysis in the NFL? Check out our partner NFL Analysis Network.
