Getty Donovan Mitchell is excelling with the Cavaliers.
Former New York Knicks trade target Donovan Mitchell was the talk of the NBA January 2 after he dropped 71 points in an overtime victory over the Chicago Bulls.
Mitchell was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers this past offseason despite all indications he was going to be suiting up in a Knicks jersey.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, a very outspoken Knicks fan, was devastated to see the trade fall through, and those emotions came boiling to the surface again after Mitchell’s record-breaking performance.
“This is the kind of stuff I’m talking about when I’m talking about the damn Knicks,” he said. “Everybody knows I’m a Knicks fan, right? I wanted Donovan Mitchell, but you didn’t get Donovan Mitchell. You got me Jalen Brunson, who I appreciate. I think he’s an All-Star this year. But you didn’t get Donovan Mitchell.”
The addition of Mitchell has propelled the Cavs into the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference with a record of 25-14. The Knicks are sitting at 21-18, so they aren’t very far behind all things considered. However, Smith thinks it’ll all just end up in a first-round exit since they didn’t land the former Jazz star.
“[Jazz GM Danny Ainge] ends up giving a better deal to Cleveland,” he continues. “And Donovan Mitchell, who wanted to be in New York, who’s from New York, who expected to be in the New York Knicks uniform, dropped 71. 71! In an NBA Game. And the Knicks have given us what? I’m just, I’m so sick of them. They make me sick. This is what I’m talking about. Yeah, you’re gonna win your games, you’re gonna be average, but then you’re gonna turn around, and you’re gonna go home in the first round of the playoffs.”
Mitchell Thought He’d Be a Knick
Mitchell seemed just as surprised as fans were when the Cavaliers came in and traded for him.
“I thought for sure I was going back home, I’m not gonna lie about that,” he said. “But when I found out where I was headed, who I was playing for, the group, the team, the coaching staff, I couldn’t be more happy.”
The Knicks had plenty of a first-round picks and young talent, including Quentin Grimes, to offer in a trade but they ultimately decided to hang onto all of their assets.
Grimes has blossomed into a solid starter for the Knicks in his second year, but he’s still far from what Mitchell could’ve brought to the table.
Big Move Coming for New York?
With the trade deadline coming in February, there are likely going to be many names shifting around, but a blockbuster trade might not be in the cards this year.
The Raptors and Bulls will be interesting teams to keep an eye on if they plan on rebuilding. DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby could all be names to watch, not necessarily just for the Knicks either.
As for New York, names like Evan Fournier, Derrick Rose and Cam Reddish all figure to be shopped around as none of them are in the team’s active rotation. The trio doesn’t hold a ton of value individually, but a team desperate to add shooting could certainly do worse than bringing on Fournier.
With Julius Randle, RJ Barrett and Brunson all being on $100 million contracts, it’ll be difficult to pull off a big money move and bring in a superstar without moving one of those players, so the Knicks might have to dream a little smaller as they continue their playoff push.