“This is a franchise that has been waiting to get a star guard” - Tim Bontemps says there is a lot of motivation from the New York Knicks to get 3x All-Star
The New York Knicks have reportedly shown interest in trading for Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell. The Jazz are reported to be open to a deal, having just traded three-time Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert, to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Mitchell has led the Jazz to the playoffs in all five seasons he has been in the league. Their run in the 2022 playoffs was cut short by the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of a best-of-six series, after finishing the regular season in fifth place in the West.
ESPN's Tim Bontemps said New York is highly motivated to sign the three-time All-Star.
"Clearly, there's a lot of motivation on the Knicks side, in particular, to get this done," Bontemps said. "The last time the Knicks had an All-Star point guard was Mark Jackson, back in 1989. The last time they had an All-Star guard was Alan Houston, twenty years ago (in 2001).
"This is a franchise that has been waiting to get a star guard to build around for a very long time."
Bontemps said that, by all indications, Mitchell is the target of Leon Rose, the team's president of basketball operations since 2020.
"Since Leon Rose got to the Knicks a couple of years ago to run the basketball operations department, the goal for this team has been to get star players," Bontemps said. "Leon Rose represented a ton of stars (as an agent) at CAA, guys like Donovan Mitchell.
"They went out and got a bunch of draft picks that could get them a guy like Donovan Mitchell. They signed contracts they could trade later to get a guy like Donovan Mitchell. ... Donovan Mitchell clearly seems to be like a guy they need to get."
Donovan Mitchell's move to the New York Knicks underway
Rumors suggest that Mitchell could be on his way to the Knicks as both parties work out the final details. The news first broke on the KSL podcast, hosted by Jake Scott and Ben Anderson.
“I’m hesitant to say this…but I’ve been receiving texts as we speak that the Donovan Mitchell deal is done…working out some final details to have it be announced here shortly…and ‘it’s a haul’“
— Utah sports radio host @PKKinahan on @ZoneSportsNet https://t.co/FH2kAAJTPV
As a guest on the podcast, Utah radio host Patrick Kinahan said that the trade between the Jazz and Knicks for Mitchell has been sealed and is awaiting final approval. He, however, said that these were text messages he had received but was yet to confirm.
"I’m hesitant to say this … but I’ve been receiving texts as we speak that the Donovan Mitchell deal is done," Kinahan said. "They are working out some final details to have it be announced here shortly … and 'it's a haul.'"