Getty Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz looks on against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on December 09, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The New York Knicks are still in the process of trading for Donovan Mitchell despite signing RJ Barrett to a contract extension.
Although he has signed a four-year deal that will pay him up to $120 million, he can still be included in a trade for the star guard, but that becomes more complicated now.
Hopes haven’t died yet for the two sides as they can still reach an agreement with or without including Barrett. Not including Barrett means the Knicks will have to offer more draft compensation in exchange for Mitchell’s services.
Another option would be roping in a third team for a deal, and the Los Angeles Lakers would be perfect for that. It’s been no secret the team is trying to move on from Russell Westbrook, and a three-way deal could be the best path forward for that.
Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus lays out the way that could work.
3-Way Trade
The NBA has been known to have some rather complicated trades where multiple teams are in play, and this proposed deal would be no different.
In it, the Knicks would finally land Mitchell, Westbrook would go to the Jazz, and the Lakers would get sharpshooter Evan Fournier. On paper, it’s not a terrible trade and here’s how it all looks:
- Knicks Receive: Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gay
- Lakers Receive: Evan Fournier, Bojan Bogdanovic and Cam Reddish
- Jazz Receive: Russell Westbrook, Obi Toppin and Quentin Grimes plus 3-5 first-round picks (with one from L.A.).
The Knicks would give up a good chunk of their young core as well as many draft picks, but it would ultimately result in them getting Mitchell.
“The Jazz and Knicks can argue they don’t need the Lakers, banking on L.A. being desperate enough to take a marginal deal to get out of Westbrook,” Pincus wrote. “But if the two franchises are truly stuck in a Mitchell negotiation, perhaps there’s a three-way compromise that works for all.”
It seems like the Knicks and the Jazz are hitting a wall in discussions with The Athletic’s Shams Charania reporting the most recent proposal consisted of RJ Barrett and two first-rounders for Mitchell.
“I’m told the Knicks will continue to pursue Donovan Mitchell … RJ Barrett could very well end up being in a potential deal.”
NBA Insider @ShamsCharania has the latest on trade talks between the Knicks and Jazz.
If the Knicks want to get this deal done, bringing in a third team might be the easiest solution for them, but there’s still plenty of time for them to continuing the negotiations with just them and the Jazz.
What’s the Move?
The two sides will continue to discuss a trade, but it looks like things could drag on for a bit longer.
Barrett, despite signing the extension, is still in the talks, and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, but it’s tough.
“There’s still a pathway. It’s more complicated, but RJ Barrett now, four years, nearly $120 million,” he said. “[He] averaged 20 points in his third season in New York. He could still be a part of the package, it just becomes more complicated for New York and Utah to do a Donovan Mitchell trade.”
The more likely scenario would be Barrett staying a Knick and the two sides finding a different way to continue the talks.
READ NEXT: ESPN Host Blasts Knicks After RJ Barrett Extension