Donovan Mitchell certainly would help Knicks, but cost may be too high
Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell goes to the basket during the second half of Game 3 of the team's NBA first-round playoff series against the Mavericks on April 21 in Salt Lake City. Credit: AP/Rick Bowmer
With word filtering through the NBA that the Utah Jazz would entertain offers for Donovan Mitchell, a debate was sparked among Knicks fans as to whether to surrender much of the collected assets of draft picks and young talent to make a move for him.
It has little to do with the talent of Mitchell, which is unquestionable. He is a potent offensive force who has made three straight All-Star teams and led the Jazz to five consecutive playoff appearances.
Not that you couldn’t question just how high is high with his talent and his ceiling. He isn’t Giannis Antetokounmpo or Nikola Jokic, Jayson Tatum or Kevin Durant. He has never made an All-NBA team of any sort — and compare that to Julius Randle, who has a second-team All-NBA spot on his resume but whom Knicks fans want to run out of town.
But in addition to Mitchell's talent, he is a New York native who spends his summers visiting with his home team — the Mets, for whom his father works. Mitchell was scheduled to throw out the first pitch Saturday night for the Brooklyn Cyclones.
He fits in the friends-and-family methodology of finding talent but is much more than just an acquaintance of team president Leon Rose. Mitchell could join the Knicks and be the best player on the team the day he arrives.
The problem is the cost and the timing.
The Knicks just signed Jalen Brunson to be that next big thing, the offensively talented — if undersized — guard to lead the team. So if you have one, what’s the cost to get another, even if it’s a slightly better version?
Go back to the first interview that Rose conducted — you can still count them on one hand — on the team’s network in October 2021, when putting his imprint on the team still was just a promise told in board rooms.
“My philosophy is that our goal has to be to create an environment where players will want to come here — the way to do that is on the day-to-day with the players that we have and with the organization that we have,” Rose said. “And making sure every aspect of that is player-friendly and first-class. We’re going to work as hard as we can to show people that this is a place where you want to be. We have the greatest city in the world, an iconic arena. And we just need to create a culture that people are going to want to be a part of. And I believe that happens step by step. You have to build a foundation. And if you do it the right way, they will come.”
So the question is, now that they have come, what’s next? Do you bring in Mitchell to raise the talent level even if the fit isn’t quite right or the cost is much higher than just laying out cash for a free agent?
The Athletic reported that Jazz CEO Danny Ainge started an asking price at Obi Toppin, Quentin Grimes, Miles McBride and Immanuel Quickley along with six first-round picks — and that the Knicks understandably turned that down.
So what is reasonable if the Knicks are going to do this? Let’s break down the cost.
DRAFT PICKS: The Knicks' previous regimes sent out picks carelessly (Andrea Bargnani, you still haunt Knicks fans' sleep), but this front office has not only held tight to its own picks but piled up others, totaling 11 first-round picks in the next seven drafts. With Walt Perrin heading up the college scouting, the Knicks have managed to find talent even deep in the draft, so draft capital is not something to be taken lightly. Still, the Knicks can fit only so many young players on the team, and at some point, with enough teams tanking or pushing their present away for some future, a handful of picks can be dealt. Right now the most valuable asset the Knicks have is their own 2023 first-rounder. Pair it with the Mavericks' first-round pick and you have an immediate rebuild somewhere. The Knicks can surrender up to eight firsts, but that doesn’t mean they should.
RJ BARRETT: Let’s just put Barrett in his own category. If the Knicks could unload the contract of Evan Fournier, they almost certainly would jump at it. If they can get a reasonable return for J Randle, they might pull the trigger. As much as it might pain Tom Thibodeau, they’d likely send out the one guaranteed year on Derrick Rose’s contract to balance out a contract on the right piece. But Barrett just turned 22 years old and has improved steadily every season since the Knicks made him the No. 3 overall pick. And remember, Dwyane Wade, who now is part-owner of the Jazz, said of Barrett when he was a struggling rookie, “I really love that kid. I heard his work ethic is amazing. And he's one of the best individuals that you can be around. So I look forward to continuing to follow his career.” There should be no untouchables on the Knicks, but unless you’re getting a player back who is putting you in championship-contending mode, he should be untouchable — even though he's due for a pricey extension.
THE KIDS: If the reports are accurate, the Jazz already put together a wish list with Grimes, Toppin, Quickley and McBride — all inexpensive pieces just finding their way. On the Knicks, only Grimes projects as a possible starter right now, but they all have value. Add in Jericho Sims and you’ve got five low-cost players who can fill out a roster. What that presents for the Knicks right now is depth that can aid them when the stars take a place at the top.
So what could the package be? Would the Jazz be tempted by Toppin, Grimes, rookie Trevor Keels and three first-rounders, say the Dallas pick in 2023 and the Knicks' 2024 and 2026 first- rounders? It’s a fair return for a team starting a rebuild and already piling up picks.
But the reality is, as much as the Knicks need stars — star talent more than a box-office draw — they don’t need Mitchell. They have needed him over the years — imagine Mitchell leading the offense instead of Elfrid Payton or Alec Burks in previous seasons — and they likely still want him, but they don’t need him right now.
It’s hard to find an executive in the league who doesn't believe that Mitchell will be moved or that he eventually will find his way to the Knicks. But it is the cost that might determine the success or failure of this front office.
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
