The New York Knicks are headed to the NBA Finals, and they are already thinking about how to get further next year.
Multiple reports out of the league this week indicate the Knicks view Donovan Mitchell as the missing piece to pair with Jalen Brunson and turn New York into a perennial championship contender. The Cleveland Cavaliers star has been the subject of intermittent trade speculation for years, but the Knicks’ interest has reached a new level after their run through the Eastern Conference. New York’s front office is reportedly preparing to make a major offseason push regardless of how the Finals against the San Antonio Spurs play out.
The fit is obvious. Brunson is one of the best clutch scorers in the league. Mitchell is one of the few players in the NBA who could comfortably play next to him without disrupting the offensive structure. Mitchell can play off the ball. He can create his own offense when defenses load up on Brunson. He is an elite shooter, a willing defender, and a player who has shown he can lead a team into the playoffs year after year. Pairing him with Brunson would give the Knicks a backcourt that defenses would have nightmares planning for.
The complications start with Mitchell’s contract. He signed a three-year extension with the Cavaliers last summer that has him under contract through 2028. He has not publicly requested a trade. His relationship with the Cavaliers organization is reportedly fine. None of that means a trade is impossible, but it means the Knicks would have to make Cleveland an offer the Cavaliers cannot refuse.
What does that look like? Probably some combination of Mikal Bridges, an additional young player, and multiple first-round picks. The Knicks have already given up significant draft capital to acquire Karl-Anthony Towns and Bridges in recent offseasons, so the cupboard is not as full as it once was. New York would have to be willing to mortgage the future to land Mitchell. Front office head Leon Rose has shown a willingness to do that before. He is going to have to do it again if this deal happens.
From Cleveland’s standpoint, the calculus depends on Mitchell’s long-term outlook. The Cavaliers have been to the second round of the playoffs. They have not broken through to the conference finals. If management decides that Mitchell as a centerpiece is not enough to win an NBA championship, the smart move is to cash in his trade value now while it is at its peak. Cleveland would likely demand picks and Bridges as the centerpieces of any return package.
The Knicks are not the only suitor. Other teams have inquired about Mitchell’s availability in the past, and the Lakers, Heat, and Mavericks would all have interest if Cleveland made him available. New York’s advantage is the existing relationship between Mitchell and Brunson and the obvious basketball fit alongside Towns and the Knicks’ supporting cast. Mitchell has reportedly been intrigued by the idea of playing for his hometown team, having grown up in the New York area. That kind of personal motivation matters when stars make long-term decisions.
For the Knicks, this is the kind of move that turns a near-contender into a true championship favorite. The current roster has overachieved its way to the NBA Finals. Adding Mitchell to that group would give Tom Thibodeau a true Big Three of Brunson, Mitchell and Towns, with Bridges and OG Anunoby filling in the wings. That is a roster that competes for championships every single year for the next half-decade.
The Mitchell pursuit is not a sure thing. But it is the offseason move that would define the Knicks’ next era. Watch July closely. Big things might happen.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
