Proposed Blockbuster Trade Sends Donovan Mitchell To The New York Knicks

This trade would allow the New York Knicks to land their dream target.

Donovan Mitchell would become the face of the New York Knicks

The Knicks need a primary scorer

The Cleveland Cavaliers get a solid trade package

The New York Knicks are a solid playoff team as of right now, but it is clear that they need another big move to take the next step as a team. They lack the star power to truly be a championship contender as of right now, but they do have the assets to move for a star.

Perhaps a player they could target is Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers. There have been recent reports that suggested that Mitchell could end up not signing an extension with the Cavaliers, and in that scenario, it makes sense to move him while he still has a lot of value. Here is a potential framework that sends Donovan Mitchell to the New York Knicks.

New York Knicks Receive: Donovan Mitchell

Cleveland Cavaliers Receive: RJ Barrett, Quentin Grimes, 2024 First-Round Pick (NYK), 2025 First-Round Pick (NYK), 2025 First-Round Pick (MIL)

This deal could potentially be a solid trade for both teams involved, and there’s no doubt that both teams have something to gain from this. Here is why this trade should be under consideration for both teams.

The New York Knicks Land An All-NBA Player In Donovan Mitchell

There is no doubt that Donovan Mitchell is the sort of player that can be the difference in a team potentially being a second-round exit or a championship contender. Mitchell is an athletic shooting guard who can score on all three levels and is an elite shot-creator from the 3PT range. In the playoffs, he is also willing to continue taking shots make or miss, which is a valuable trait when it comes to being a primary scoring option.

This past season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Donovan Mitchell averaged 28.3 points per game, 4.2 rebounds per game, and 4.4 assists per game, while shooting 38.6% from 3PT range. Though he struggled in the playoffs, he is the sort of player that every team would want if he were to become available.

The New York Knicks struggled with their offense in the playoffs, and it is clear that Jalen Brunson can’t win by himself. Adding a dynamic backcourt player like Mitchell will make life easier for Brunson from a scoring standpoint and allow him to focus on being a floor general for the franchise.

On paper, a team that features Donovan Mitchell, Jalen Brunson, and Julius Randle could end up being a championship contender. They would definitely have a solid shot of making the NBA Finals, especially in the Eastern Conference. Of course, the Knicks would have to give up some of their future, but they would still have leftover picks if things don’t work out.

The Cleveland Cavaliers Get A Solid Trade Package For A Star That Wants Out

If Donovan Mitchell doesn’t end up signing an extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers, then that could mean that he wants to leave the franchise. In that case, it is better to move Mitchell with a few seasons still left on his deal rather than waiting until he is on an expiring contract or until he leaves in free agency.

This deal would get the Cleveland Cavaliers two solid wing players, which is an area of weakness for them right now. RJ Barrett is a two-way player that is particularly adept at perimeter defense, and he averaged 19.6 points per game, 5.0 rebounds per game, and 2.8 assists per game. However, he was inefficient, only shooting 43.4% from the field and 31.0% from 3PT range. He would immediately start for the team at the SG position, and it would be interesting to see what Barrett could do next to Garland in the backcourt.

Quentin Grimes is already a solid 3 and D player, and he has some upside as well. This past season, Grimes has shown that he can be a highly efficient complementary player next to star-level talent. He averaged 11.3 points per game, 3.2 rebounds per game, and 2.1 assists per game while shooting 38.6% from 3PT range. His upside suggests that he can be a player that is similar to Andrew Wiggins, a complementary scorer who is a star in his role.

On top of the player return in this deal, the Cleveland Cavaliers would also get three first-round picks from the New York Knicks, which is good draft compensation for a player with two years left on his contract.

This Could Be A Win-Win Trade For Both Teams

There is no doubt that this deal could end up being a solid proposition for both teams involved. The New York Knicks have been linked with Donovan Mitchell plenty of times in the past, and he is clearly their dream target. Adding him would be a no-brainer for the team. The defense with him and Jalen Brunson in the backcourt could definitely become an issue, but in theory, the offense should more than compensate for the poor perimeter defense.

The Cleveland Cavaliers would get a solid return for a star-level player that only has two years left on his deal, and it is better to trade a player too early rather than too late. The Cleveland Cavaliers were disappointing in the playoffs this year, and perhaps the team needs to make changes to truly compete for a championship in the future. Trading Donovan Mitchell would get them a huge amount of assets, which they could use to build around their young core.

As of right now, it seems as though the Cleveland Cavaliers have no inclination to truly explore Donovan Mitchell trades. However, things move very quickly in the league, and perhaps the team should try to move him sooner rather than later before it is too late.