The New York Knicks looked to be in the driver’s seat to acquire Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz this NBA offseason. They had the most assets to build a package around and seemed like a good fit. Alas, a trade never came to fruition.
The Cleveland Cavaliers saw an opportunity to take advantage of and pounced. They acquired Mitchell after talks with the Knicks broke down in exchange for Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, Ochai Agbaji, three unprotected first-round picks and two pick swaps.
There have been various reports about offers that were made, but at the end of the day, the Jazz opted to go in a different direction. Whatever led to that decision is anyone’s guess, but a healthy debate can certainly be had that Danny Ainge and Utah did not accept the best offer on the table.
That could actually be a blessing in disguise for New York, as the asking price for Mitchell was ludicrous for them. If an offer of RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin, Mitchell Robinson and three unprotected first-round picks earlier in the offseason was turned down, there probably wasn’t a deal to be made for the Knicks.
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Even offering that was a lot as the Knicks aren’t in the same position as the Cavaliers. Cleveland had two All-Stars last season in Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen and a budding star in Evan Mobley. Having that in place mitigates the risk and that kind of foundation just isn’t something New York has, at least not yet.
Now, it is time for Leon Rose and the franchise to move forward. There will be other All-Star caliber players that become available and they will once again have the pieces to make a splash acquisition. Here are three stars that the Knicks should be monitoring now that Mitchell is off the table.