Donovan Mitchell to the Knicks? Revisiting potential trade with Jazz and how it shaped current New York team

Before the Knicks built this iteration of their NBA title contender, New York was close to adding Donovan Mitchell via trade.

In 2022, the Utah Jazz traded Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a package of players and picks that helped jumpstart the rebuild. However, that came after talks between the Jazz and New York Knicks broke down during the offseason, preventing Mitchell from returning to New York as the franchise player.

In hindsight, it's hard to imagine any of the Knicks, Cavaliers or Jazz regretting how the trade talks played out in 2022, especially with the Knicks and Cavaliers advancing this far in the NBA playoffs. As a result, the Mitchell trade rumors have become one of the biggest what-ifs in recent NBA history.

Here's a look back at how the Knicks almost traded for Mitchell.

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Donovan Mitchell-Knicks trade rumors

During the Summer of 2022, the Knicks were heavily rumored to be the top destination for Donovan Mitchell, whose time with the Jazz was coming to an end. Utah was seemingly committed to a rebuild and had just traded Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves, signaling a teardown after a successful tenure over the previous half-decade.

Mitchell is originally from New York and was rumored to prefer playing for the Knicks in his hometown. The Knicks, meanwhile, were on the rise but needed a star to be the face of the franchise moving forward.

MORE: Breaking down Donovan Mitchell's New York roots

Why didn't the Knicks trade for Donovan Mitchell?

In the end, the Knicks and Jazz couldn't agree on what the Knicks would sent the Cavaliers for Mitchell in a deal. Adrian Wojnarowski reported for ESPN in 2022 that the Knicks initial offer was RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson, Obi Toppin and three unprotected first-round picks, which Utah turned down. Robinson ended up signing an extension with the Knicks that took him out of trade talks.

With Robinson out of the discussions, the Knicks and Jazz couldn't see eye-to-eye. The Knicks added Immanuel Quickley to the offer but wanted to put protections on one of the first-round picks and add second-round picks instead. The Jazz, however, wanted the Knicks to include Quentin Grimes instead of Quickley, which the Knicks continued to decline.

The deal would've required the Knicks trading Evan Fournier to a third team along with a pick in order to clear cap space. Ultimately, the Knicks ended up signing Barrett to an extension while the Jazz traded Mitchell to the Cavaliers over a few days in September of 2022.

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Donovan Mitchell trade details

Cavaliers received:

• G Donovan Mitchell

Jazz received:

• G Collin Sexton
• F Lauri Markkanen
• F Ochai Agbaji
• 2025 first-round pick
• 2026 pick swap
• 2027 first-round pick
• 2028 pick swap
• 2029 first-round pick

The Mitchell trade was headlined by Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen and a bunch of draft picks. Sexton spent three seasons in Utah, which included signing an extension, before he was traded to the Charlotte Hornets. However, Markkanen has been a strong member of the Jazz for the past four seasons, averaging 23.7 points and 7.6 assists but has battled injuries in that span.

As for the picks, Utah traded the 2025 first-round pick and the 2029 first-round picks away already, and the 2026 pick swap did not convey.

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How Knicks built team after failed Donovan Mitchell trade

At the time of the Knicks’ interest in Donovan Mitchell, they had just signed Jalen Brunson to be the starting point guard, but likely didn’t see Brunson exploding to become a superstar. Therefore, the Knicks used the assets they kept to build around Brunson instead of making him a second option to Mitchell.

A year later, the Knicks agreed to a trade headlined by sending RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to the Toronto Raptors for OG Anunoby. Six months after that, New York sent four unprotected first-round picks, a protected first-round pick, an unprotected pick swap, and a second-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Mikal Bridges. Obi Toppin and Quentin Grimes were eventually sent away for second-round picks as well.

Anunoby and Bridges are crucial pieces to the Knicks team, as they anchor New York's defense while providing above-average offense. It is also notable that the Knicks traded for Karl-Anthony Towns while sending away Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and other assets in a deal that didn't include pieces rumored in a Mitchell trade.

Had the Knicks made the Mitchell deal, New York would’ve run into trouble competing at a high level with two small guards in Brunson and Mitchell, especially if Brunson was never able to reach his best. While the Knicks were the team to sign Brunson as a free agent in the 2022 offseason, even they didn’t seem to expect his eventual breakout.

Therefore, the current version of the team fits Brunson better than the version with him and Mitchell as a duo.