Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell cross paths anew in what is shaping up to be a great rivalry after their scintillating first-round matchup in last year’s playoffs.
Brunson flourished in his first season with the New York Knicks, leading them to the fifth seed. Mitchell is playing on an All-NBA level in his first year with the Cleveland Cavaliers to earn the fourth seed.
But last summer, they nearly became teammates. The Knicks were ridiculed for not going all-in for Mitchell, now a four-time All-Star who grew up in New York and wanted to play for his hometown team.
What if the Knicks successfully traded for Mitchell?
We asked an NBA scout for his take on the dream New York backcourt of Brunson-Mitchell that might still be possible in the near future (Mitchell has only two more guaranteed years left on his contract after this season), but for now, it remains a brewing rivalry.
“Would it work? I think they could get exploited at some stage just in the playoffs with switching and isolation,” a Western Conference scout told Heavy Sports. “Brunson is very tough. He defends like, you can’t just post him up. But he’s small. Bigger guards can shoot over him like James Harden.”
“I think it would be fine in the regular season. But come playoff time. I have questions about two small guys.”
For the same reason that it did not work for Mitchell in Utah, and now gets to be tested anew with the Cavaliers, the long-time NBA scout pointed out that today’s backcourts are getting bigger.
Brunson is listed as 6’2, while Mitchell is 6’1.
“The [Utah] Jazz had [Mike] Conley and Mitchell, both small, and you saw at times
having to guard the bigger players that they got exploited, especially against the [Los Angeles] Clippers,” the Western Conference scout told Heavy Sports. “They got Paul George on a switch, 6’9; he’s big and can post you up and then the mid-post. You can’t stop that. You can have one small guard, but the other guard needs to be bigger. So I think it might be an issue in the playoffs if that trade was ever made.”
Hindsight is 20-20, but the Knicks’ decision to hold on to their draft assets and young players — Quentin Grimes and Immanuel Quickley — who are making significant strides this season, is proving to be a wise decision for the organization, which in the past would have readily mortgaged their future for a star.
They are back in the playoffs and are better equipped to trade for a two-way star to slot in next to Brunson and Julius Randle.
Jalen Brunson vs. Donovan Mitchell Rematch
Adding drama to the Knicks-Cavaliers series is the rematch between Brunson and Mitchell.
Brunson upstaged Mitchell in last year’s playoffs, helping the Dallas Mavericks reach the Western Conference Finals. His breakout season earned him a $104 million, four-year deal with the Knicks.
Meanwhile, Mitchell’s first-round exit led to a shakeup in Utah.
Now, they’re at it again.
“I feel like there’s a little bit of a rivalry there,” the Western Conference scout told Heavy Sports. “There’s so much talk of Jalen [Brunson] outplaying [Donovan] Mitchell last season, and he really dominated like the [Utah] Jazz could not guard [Brunson] in the playoffs.”
But this time, the NBA scout thinks it will be different with Mitchell surrounded by versatile bigs in Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.
But experience is on Brunson’s side as the Knicks’ core has been to the playoffs in 2021.
Derrick Rose Predicted to Sign with Chicago
Brunson’s arrival and Immanuel Quickley’s rise dislodged Derrick Rose from the Knicks’ rotation.
He has a $15.5 million team option for next season, which the Knicks are unlikely to pick up unless a star trade becomes available, where they need to guarantee his contract for salary-matching purposes.
Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley predicts Rose will wind up taking a story-book turn of events and sign “with his hometown team Chicago Bulls.”
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Would a Jalen Brunson-Donovan Mitchell Backcourt Work for Knicks? NBA Scout Weighs In