NBA Rumors Roundup: Knicks had internal disagreements regarding offer for Donovan Mitchell; Suns interested in acquiring Utah Jazz sharpshooter, and more | August 2, 2022
The Cleveland Cavaliers sent shockwaves throughout the NBA by acquiring Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz.
It was a surprise deal, as many expected the New York Knicks to land Mitchell. The latest NBA rumors suggest that there were internal disagreements in the Knicks organization regarding offers for the three-time All-Star.
Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns are ready to pounce on other Jazz players. The Suns are rumored to be interested in acquiring a Jazz sharpshooter. Utah executive Danny Ainge is still expected to trade players such as Mike Conley, Bojan Bogdanovic and Jordan Clarkson.
On that note, here's the latest NBA rumors roundup for September 2 brought to you by Sportskeeda.
Nets still need to add two players to complete roster
The Brooklyn Nets added more depth to their roster by signing veteran forward Markieff Morris on a one-year deal. The Nets were active this offseason, signing Patty Mills and Nic Claxton to new contracts. They also acquired Royce O'Neal from the Utah Jazz.
The Nets also signed T.J. Warren in free agency, but it seems like they still need to add a couple more pieces. Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News reckons Brooklyn needs to add another backup center and point guard.
Veteran big men like DeMarcus Cousins, Dwight Howard, Tristan Thompson and Hassan Whiteside are still available in the free agent market. Meanwhile, there are only a few solid playmaking guards left. Winfield named D.J. Augustin, Eric Bledsoe and Elfrid Payton as possible options.
Knicks had internal disagreements regarding offer for Donovan Mitchell
The New York Knicks were expected to acquire Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz this summer. There was mutual interest from both parties, but Mitchell was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, as per multiple reports. The Jazz received three players, three first-round picks and two pick swaps from Cleveland.
In typical Knicks fashion, they missed out on a marquee name. Sarah Todd of Deseret News has reported that there was internal disagreement in New York's front office regarding packages for Mitchell. The Knicks' offer that had two unprotected first-round picks and a top-five protected pick was turned down.
According to league sources, the Knicks had some disagreement internally about what to include in the package that was presented to the Jazz. Ultimately the two unprotected picks and a third top-5 protected along with players was turned down.
The Knicks were one of the interested teams in Mitchell, who is a New York native. At one point this offseason, the Jazz reportedly turned down an offer that included RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin and Mitchell Robinson.
Barrett and Robinson have signed extensions since then, and they will remain as key players for New York.
Knicks did not want to include Quentin Grimes in trade package?
The New York Knicks and Utah Jazz held a lot of talks regarding a possible trade for Donovan Mitchell. However, in the end, the Knicks were unsuccessful, as the Jazz dealt their All-Star player to the Cleveland Cavaliers. How close were the Knicks in acquiring Mitchell?
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported that the Jazz preferred a trade package that had RJ Barrett and Quentin Grimes. The Knicks balked at the prospect of including Grimes in the trade and replacing him with Immanuel Quickley. They also only wanted to part ways with two first-round picks and a top-five protected pick.
The Knicks were willing to include the Milwaukee Bucks' 2025 first-round pick, two second-round picks and two pick swaps. The Jazz ended up liking the Cavaliers offer more and sent Mitchell to Cleveland. Utah now have 13 first-round picks through 2029, which is the second-most behind the OKC Thunder.
Suns interested in acquiring NBA sharpshooter
The Phoenix Suns had the best record in the NBA last season. However, they were eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference semifinals. Heading into next season, the Suns are looking to add more pieces to their stacked roster.
According to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports, the Suns are interested in acquiring Bojan Bogdanovic from the Utah Jazz. Bogdanovic was a key part of the Jazz as a scorer and sharpshooter. The Jazz are still looking to trade players such as Bogdanovic to complete their rebuilding process.
Bogdanovic has averaged 18.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game in three seasons in Salt Lake City. He's shooting 44.7%, including 39.7% from beyond the arc, and 88.0% from the stripe, making him one of the best free-throw shooters in the NBA.
Utah Jazz not planning to use Collin Sexton as trade chip
One of the players the Utah Jazz acquired from the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Donovan Mitchell trade was Collin Sexton. The former lottery pick agreed to a sign-and-trade deal, getting a four-year, $72 million fully guaranteed contract.
Sexton was limited to just 11 games last season due to a knee injury, but he's expected to be healthy next season. He's also only 23, so the Jazz may see him as an important part of their rebuild.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on "The Hoop Collective" podcast that the Jazz have no plans to trade Sexton.
"I checked in, because I wondered: could they reroute Collin Sexton?" Windhorst said. "Maybe to the Lakers, for example, you know? But I was told no, that Sexton's gonna be in Utah, at least, that's the plan."
The Jazz have amassed a wealth of draft picks through 2029. They also acquired several young players, like Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Kessler Edwards, Jarred Vanderbilt, Ochai Agbaji and Talen Horton-Tucker.