Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
The Kevin Durant trade saga finally came to an end earlier today when the Brooklyn Nets announced that Sean Marks, Steve Nash, and KD all reconciled in a meeting with Joe Tsai. This was a massive blow for people around the league. Teams like the Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns did not sign any difference-making players in order to have space to trade for KD, as the offseason came to a halt with KD’s availability.
Now that KD is off the table, Donovan Mitchell is the biggest name on the trade block. The Utah Jazz set the tone of the market when they acquired 4 first-round picks (and a rookie drafted in the 2022 draft, making it 5 picks) and rotational players for Rudy Gobert. That trade set KD’s price too high for anyone to match.
The Jazz is looking for an even bigger package for Mitchell, rejecting 5 picks and players from the New York Knicks already. Maybe this was prudent, as teams that failed to land KD may pivot to moving for Mitchell. NY Post’s Marc Berman has said that Danny Ainge is telling people that there are 2 mystery teams involved in trying to acquire Mitchell now.
“Knicks president Leon Rose has a chance to right the wrong by trading for Mitchell, but he is in a stalemate with Utah team president Danny Ainge over the number of unprotected draft picks to include in a deal. Ainge is telling confidants two other teams have made offers he likes.” (h/t NY Post)
It seems the only way the Knicks can definitively land Mitchell and Usher in a new era of the team is by matching whatever price the Jazz are setting for their star.
However, the Knicks should exercise caution and not bid against themselves. These are just mystery teams being rumored, and very few teams around the league even have the assets that Utah wants.
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