Getty Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz shoots over Mason Plumlee of the Charlotte Hornets in the first half of a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena.
The New York Knicks are still in the process of acquiring Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell to pair with Jalen Brunson, and the latest development delivers a bit of bad news.
While the Knicks are believed to be the frontrunners in a deal, it doesn’t seem like there’s anything set to happen on the immediate horizon.
To make matters worse, The Athletic’s Tony Jones reports the Jazz are “comfortable” with keeping Mitchell going into the new year.
“But, the Jazz, sources say, are comfortable with going into the season with Mitchell on the roster, no matter who else is on the roster around him,” he reported. “If they are persuaded to trade Mitchell, they are committed to the lofty price they have set for themselves. If that price isn’t met, they are good with keeping him on the roster once training camp opens and into the season.”
This means the Jazz are willing to remain patient, and with the Knicks being one of the few teams with the assets necessary to land Mitchell, it seems Utah is willing to drag this out.
Mitchell Lists His Teams
Something that might be slowing down talks is the fact that Mitchell hasn’t requested a trade from the Jazz. However, he has reportedly given a list of teams he’d prefer going to, and that includes the Knicks and two other Eastern Conference rivals.
“Mitchell hasn’t asked for a trade from the Jazz, according to sources,” Jones reported. “But, if he were to be traded, sources say, his preferred destination would be one of three places: the Knicks, the Brooklyn Nets, or the Miami Heat.”
The Nets don’t seem likely because of Ben Simmons being on the roster and the Heat likely don’t have the assets necessary to make a trade happen, so his preferred destinations appear to be off the table with the exception of the Knicks.
Jones also reports the Jazz have offers other than the Knicks they are interested in that would see the talented guard go elsewhere.
“As of Thursday morning, the Jazz have multiple offers on the table for Mitchell from teams other than the Knicks that they deem intriguing and worth pursuing, according to sources,” he wrote. “They are offers, sources say, that the Jazz feel are worth pursuing, should talks between Utah and the Knicks stall.”
Knicks Still Looking Good
At the end of the day, the Knicks do appear to be in the driver’s seat in acquiring Mitchell, but it might take a bit longer than expected.
If this drags out into the season, it could be bad news for the Knicks because they might be forced to overhaul the roster halfway through the year. On the other hand, the Knicks stumbling out of the gate could make a trade more pressing, and the Jazz could squeeze more out of them.
As of right now, it’s tough to tell what will happen with Mitchell, but it’s getting harder to envision him being in Utah for much longer, especially with the Patrick Beverley trade.
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