“Why go Donovan Mitchell hunting when you can go Kevin Durant hunting?” - NBA analyst proposes a Kevin Durant to New York Knicks trade involving former MVP
The New York Knicks have not made a move for Kevin Durant since the Brooklyn Nets forward requested a trade. NBA Analyst Nick Wright is baffled by the Knicks' decision to overlook Durant, who he believes is a better player than Donovan Mitchell.
Mitchell was on the market shortly after Rudy Gobert was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Jazz are embracing a rebuild and are looking to get the best value for their players.
Brian Windhorst on The Rich Eisen Show:
"That is what you know about Danny Ainge. Rest assured, he is not going to trade Donovan Mitchell until he gets the price he has in his mind"
"I think the Knicks ultimately feel some pressure to execute that deal" https://t.co/l0I7T66BYp
The Knicks undoubtedly want to get back into playoff contention, but Wright does not see a world where Mitchell is a better option than Durant.
On First Things First, Wright dropped a list of five teams he believes could be ideal landing spots for KD. The Knicks were one of the five teams he listed. He also detailed how a potential trade could go down.
"Why go Donovan Mitchell hunting when you can go Kevin Durant hunting? Rich Kleimann's dream come to life. You can keep your entire business empire set up where it is."
He added:
"What does that trade look like? RJ Barrett, my pal Quentin Grimes, Obi Toppin, Cam Reddish, Derrick Rose, and four first-round picks. The Jazz don't want RJ Barrett, do the Nets want RJ Barrett? Maybe, possibly."
Celtics trade look like? What does a KD ➡️ Celtics trade look like?
"We know the parameters of it —Jaylen Brown plus Marcus Smart, Payton Pritchard and a couple 1st round picks for Kevin Durant. But it's not my favorite trade..."
— @getnickwright lays out his top 5 trade scenarios for Durant. https://t.co/lbQxYqWSj6
The Knicks' primary problem last season was their backcourt and they have worked to address that in the offseason. They have brought in Jalen Brunson and are currently looking to pair him up with Mitchell.
Kevin Durant was courted by the New York Knicks in 2019
The Knicks pursed Durant in 2019, but failed to land the forward as he chose to join the Brooklyn Nets instead.
Explaining why he chose the Nets over the Knicks, the two-time NBA champion said that he did not think New York was in a position to contend. Here is the extracted quote from the YouTube clip on Bleacher Report (from 7:20)
"I just liked the organization as far as the direction they were going in — a bunch of young guys that played in the playoffs before. The Knicks players, they‘re good young players but they still need more experience to match where I was in my career. It was nothing major against the Knicks. I just think Brooklyn is further along in the process of being a contender."
The Knicks were coming off a 17-65 season where they finished last in the Eastern Conference. The Nets, on the other hand, had a better season (44-38).
Durant's time with Brooklyn has not exactly produced the desired results. Although he has led them to back-to-back playoff appearances, they have not made it past the second round.