The New York Knicks have extremely high hopes over the off-season that they can retool their squad enough to make a run at the Playoffs again after missing out this year. New York made it to the playoffs last year, and that momentum has been lost after a similar roster completely failed to elevate this year.
The Knicks’ off-season has begun and the playoffs are going to be the best avenue for them to scout possible players to add to their roster. Willliam Wesley, commonly known as World Wide Wes and Allan Houston were spotted at the opening playoff game between the Dallas Mavericks and the New York Knicks. Julius Randle was also in attendance.
The only reason a high-ranking executive like Wesley would be there is if they were scouting high-value players for their future. With all the noise coming out of the Utah Jazz, many Knicks fans took the presence of their scouts at the game as an indicator for NY trying to trade for Mitchell.
Just walked away from a pregame TV visit with Jalen Brunson and walked right into a good bit of the Knicks' braintrust: William Wesley and Allan Houston are here for Jazz at Mavs.
To scout Brunson? To scout Donovan Mitchell? Just to enjoy the very first first-round playoff game?
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) April 16, 2022
Along with Mitchell, the Knicks have also rumored to be interested in Jalen Brunson of the Mavericks, who will be a free agent this off-season. It’s convenient that the Knicks got a chance to scout their first option in Mitchell and possibly the second option in Brunson at the same time. Fans of the Knicks were extremely excited by what they saw.
Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson facing off for a Knicks roster spot.
— Mike (@mikestheworst) April 16, 2022
Randle trying too hard to try bring Donovan Mitchell to the knicks💀💀💀 pic.twitter.com/C3eNpCrTRf
— Dan (@Dan__220) April 16, 2022
https://twitter.com/quietknicksfan/status/1515385661104263183
Really cool of Donavan Mitchell to play like he’s already in New York while the Knicks brass watch
— Oluwajomiloju (@JomiAdeniran) April 16, 2022
Donovan Mitchell welcome to the Knicks https://t.co/524cm1Sz84
— anthony (@HoodieAlonso) April 16, 2022
Quin Snyder always looks like he owes some bad people a lot of money 😂 The Knicks need to save Donovan Mitchell before something bad happens
— Daily Knicks (@DailyKnicksFS) April 16, 2022
The Knicks scouting Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson at the same time https://t.co/cmDOwYdxai pic.twitter.com/hnGLWqwsUW
— Barstool New York (@BarstoolNYC) April 16, 2022
https://twitter.com/bennyblackviaBK/status/1515413769857515524
Mitchell’s hometown is New York and there have been tensions in the Utah Jazz with Mitchell and teammate Rudy Gobert. How far these tensions have escalated is something we don’t know, but their incompatible play styles are becoming more and more clear to everyone who watches Spida intentionally not pass the ball to Gobert.
The Jazz barely scraped by a Luka Doncic-less Mavericks in Game 1 of the Playoffs, courtesy of the star tandem of Mitchell and Gobert. But if the series ends in heartbreak for Utah again, it may be time for them to end this partnership, which may genuinely open up the chance for New York to trade for a disgruntled Mitchell.
