The New York Knicks have been linked to Donovan Mitchell this offseason. But do the Knicks have the leverage to get him?

The New York Mets fandom, the Brooklyn Cyclones game appearance, the CAA connection, the New York sweatshirt, and the selfies with Immanuel Quickley. Donovan Mitchell has done everything but formally request a trade to the Knicks.

There have been a lot of questions about whether New York should trade for Mitchell, and the answer is clearly yes. The Knicks lack star play and need someone to lead their return to the playoffs. But when it comes down to trading for a star in the NBA, it’s all about price. And the price determination for Mitchell will come down to who has leverage in negotiations.

The last we saw of Donovan Mitchell didn’t look too great. The Jazz got dogged by Jalen Brunson and the Mavericks even with Luka Doncic missing three games, and Mitchell shot below .400 overall in the series. But make no mistake — the Spida is legit. The resumé speaks for itself. He’s a three-time all-star in five seasons and has never missed the playoffs in his five-year career. In addition, Mitchell led Utah’s offense to the top of the league in offensive rating last season and top 10 in the previous two years.

Donovan Mitchell is what the Knicks need most: a premier scorer. In 2021-2022, he averaged 25.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists (a career-high), and 1.5 steals on .448/.355/.853 splits. Per Basketball Reference, in 39 career playoff games, he ranks seventh all-time in points per game at 28.3, ahead of all-timer greats like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Steph Curry, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Kobe Bryant.

His ability to score from all three levels would make life easier for guys like RJ Barrett and Julius Randle, who could use some easier shots, so long as Mitchell is a willing passer. And the 25-year-old might not have even hit his prime yet, either.

At 6’1, his fit defensively next to Jalen Brunson wouldn’t be ideal, but how much worse could that backcourt be than the Kemba Walker-Evan Fournier tandem? (Answer: not much. The Walker-Fournier-Barrett-Randle-Robinson lineup had a ​​116.6 defensive rating and a -13.8 net rating. That’s bad.). Nevertheless, the 2021-22 Knicks finished just outside of the top 10 in defensive rating. Mitchell’s 6’10” wingspan and athleticism, combined with coach Tom Thibodeau’s demand for defensive effort, should be enough for Mitchell to be a net positive on that end of the court.

Donovan Mitchell to the Knicks is far from a guarantee, though. New York and Utah appear to be at a standstill, and it doesn’t seem like either team will give in to the other’s demands soon. The Knicks certainly have enough assets to acquire Mitchell, but giving up everything would limit their ability to improve the roster around the margins.

The Jazz’s front office is led by former Celtics general manager Danny Ainge, infamous for fleecing the Brooklyn Nets of several draft assets in exchange for washed-up versions of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. Earlier this summer, Utah sent center Rudy Gobert to Minnesota, netting them recent draftee Walker Kessler, four first-round picks (3 unprotected, one top-five protected), one pick swap, and some vital rotational players as well. That return for Gobert set the market for blockbuster trades this offseason, and players like Mitchell and Kevin Durant are sure to cost even more.

New York can trade up to eight draft picks–four of their own and four protected ones owned by other teams. But it doesn’t seem like they’re willing to give all eight picks, and the front office is undoubtedly aware of the risk of giving up their own unprotected draft picks. Trading Mitchell would put the Jazz into a full-blown rebuild, and Ainge is looking for valuable picks that will net high draft selections.

The players are another story. The Knicks surely want to hold on to as many of their young players as they can, but the Jazz would want players like Quickley and Obi Toppin — who are still on their rookie contract — to develop them into core players for Utah. Then there is Quentin Grimes, who would play a critical role on the Knicks by strengthening their perimeter defense (if the Knicks are to land Mitchell). But his summer league play may have made him the Jazz’s number one target, and a deal might not go through until he’s involved.

(Side note: how tragic would it be if the Knicks give up Quickley, who has put in work this offseason recruiting Mitchell? The only sadder thing would be if Toppin isn’t in the trade and every fan’s favorite young duo breaks up).

How much leverage does New York have in this staring contest? For one, Mitchell is signed for three more guaranteed years. The Jazz can afford to wait for more suitors to emerge with better young players or draft picks that have lighter protections. The Kawhi Leonard/Raptors trade demonstrated that sharks are always in the water. Cleveland, Charlotte, Miami, Orlando, Philadelphia, Toronto, and Dallas are some teams that could also use Mitchell’s services, and other surprise teams could pounce at any moment.

Even if Utah begins next season with Mitchell on the roster, I wouldn’t be surprised if they either retool around Mitchell with the vets they have or blow the team up completely and “Wane for Wembamyama” (or whatever the slogan will be next year). If they’re serious about the tank and are fielding final offers, they could also elect to bench Mitchell or limit his playing time in the short term.

Mitchell has obviously hinted at his interest in playing for New York, but that doesn’t mean the Knicks won’t still have to pay up. The Lakers, for example, gave up a haul for Anthony Davis in 2019 even though he had one year left on his deal. Rich Paul, Davis’ agent, stated that Davis would only resign with Los Angeles.

The price for AD ended up being Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, the fourth overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft (DeAndre Hunter), top-8 protected in 2021 (became unprotected in ’22, which turned out to be Dyson Daniels), an unprotected swap in ’23, an unprotected first in ’24, and an unprotected swap in ’25. Of course, Mitchell isn’t the same level player as Davis, but whatever Ainge wants is what he will probably get.

Many other recent examples of ineffective leverage exist, such as the Paul George trade.

But sticking with the AD trade, the Lakers’ 2018-19 season is proof that trade rumors can haunt a roster, especially the players whose names are tossed around in leaked proposed deals. Davis requested a trade in late January and wasn’t sent to LA until July. LeBron’s first season with the Lakers featured a handful of anxious young players, a lot of pettiness, and opposing crowds reminding players of the rumors every chance they could.

Per Ian Begley of SNY, the Knicks need to trade a minimum of $24.2 million to Utah in exchange for Mitchell. Assuming RJ Barrett (due for an extension) and Julius Randle (with his undesirable contract) are disqualified, the Knicks could send out virtually any combination of young prospects – Quickley, Toppin, Cam Reddish, Quentin Grimes, Obi Toppin, Deuce McBride. Of course, New York would have to add veterans like Evan Fournier and Derrick Rose to match the money. Any of those seven players (about half the roster!) could receive the call from their agent soon.

The upper hand in negotiations could shift if another high-caliber player demands a trade or becomes available on the market. Maybe Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will grow impatient with the rebuilding Thunder team and want an opportunity to compete. Perhaps Toronto may want to trade OG Anunoby for more depth. Golden State could look to free up some money by moving Andrew Wiggins. If the Lakers begin the season terribly and LeBron doesn’t sign his extension, would they trade Anthony Davis?

New York’s patience might work out to their benefit if another player of interest is up for sale. If Utah thinks the Knicks has their eyes on another player, they may lower the asking price for Mitchell, so long as the Knicks remain the team with the most assets for the star guard.

Regardless, the organization should enter next season excited about having a long-awaited point guard and versatile center, along with expected improvements from their young guys. But if a deal isn’t done by training camp, players will feel the weight of swirling rumors and challenging questions from the media. And if New York starts off next season slowly, the organization might feel an urgency to get the deal done, no matter the cost.

If the price for Donovan Mitchell drops and the Knicks can keep a player like Grimes along with a little draft equity, then sign me up. Until then, New York should focus on continuing to develop next season and make the playoffs with RJ Barrett as their leader and the solid roster they have around him. If the Spida wants to return home, he can do so in three seasons when his contract is up, and the Knicks have some cap flexibility.

Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the 2021-22 NBA season. And in case you missed it, check out CP on the No Trade Clause podcast!

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