“If you told me that a player not named Michael Jeffrey Jordan would go for 6 first-round picks, I’d have told you, you were crazy” - NBA insider on Donovan Mitchell's trade value
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Donovan Mitchell could be traded by the Utah Jazz in the coming weeks. The New York Knicks are the frontrunners to sign the talented guard.
The Jazz and Knicks have started discussions on a Donovan Mitchell trade, sources tell me and @Tjonesonthenba. New York has Utah’s focus currently, among interested teams.
Story at @TheAthletic: theathletic.com/3422434/2022/0…
Having traded their All-Star center Rudy Gobert at the beginning of the month, the Utah Jazz are open to letting Mitchell go as well.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst predicted that the guard could be traded to the Knicks for six first-round picks. Windhorst also expressed admiration for Jazz President Danny Ainge for changing the landscape of the trade market.
"I'm telling you guys Donovan Mitchell could go for six first-round picks," Windhorst said. "If you told me that a player not named Michael Jeffrey Jordan in the mid 90s would go for six first-round picks, I'd have told you, you were crazy.
"But I'm telling you Danny Ainge has done it again. He hooked somebody on the line and Tim Connolly in Minnesota who was desperate to get Rudy Gobert. And he changed the game."
Windhorst explained that considering Gobert was traded to the Timberwolves in exchange for Patrick Beverley, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro, and the draft rights to Walker Kessler in addition to four first-round picks and a 2026 first-round pick swap, the Jazz might get even more for Mitchell.
"And so now the Knicks are going to have a difficult time with the discussion about whether it's gonna be three or four first round picks. Now Danny Ainge is going look 'Guys I know you can trade eight of them, and I've traded Rudy Gobert for four of them.
"In fact, I'm gonna count that as trading for five because I got a guy who was just drafted in this last draft with the 22nd pick. So I'm actually for the sake of this discussion. I'm gonna say that I traded Rudy Gobert for five first round picks. So the price for you for Donovan Mitchell is 6 first round picks.'"
Brian Windhorst believes Danny Ainge is about to set a record with Donovan Mitchell trade
The Utah Jazz are in the process of rebuilding their roster. With Rudy Gobert out the door, Donovan Mitchell could be on his way out in a few weeks to potentially join the Knicks.
Knicks' Donovan Mitchell trade talks stall as Jazz want 'everything but the Statue of Liberty' trib.al/q9I5ese https://t.co/16T6GZ0gum
Brian Windhorst, on his part, believes Danny Ainge could be on the verge of setting a new record with the Mitchell trade.
"Once the Ayton thing got matched last night, and I'm looking at the lay of the land," Windhorst stated. "I'm thinking about Danny Ainge and how he is about to set another standard, another record with the Knicks potentially big on the side of the next Big deal in the NBA."