The Utah Jazz are looking to enter a new era in their team’s history. After 5 consecutive seasons of making the Playoffs with a duo of Rudy Gobert and Donivan Mitchell, the team has broken up. Gobert was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a massive haul of picks and players in July, with people now waiting for the inevitable trade that sends Mitchell away.
The Jazz aren’t looking committed to re-tooling their roster and having another go at a playoff run with a different core built around Mitchell. It’s likely the 25-year-old also is moved soon, with the New York Knicks emerging as the team most interested in acquiring him.
The Jazz and Knicks haven’t been able to agree on a price, as New York wants to keep their valuable players like RJ Barrett However, as the market for Mitchell possibly heats up with the KD trade sweepstakes being closed, the opinion on possibly sending RJ to Utah is shifting within New York, according to Ian Begley.
The Utah Jazz have strong interest in RJ Barrett in a potential Donovan Mitchell trade.
Some decision-makers among the New York Knicks are open to including Barrett in a trade for Mitchell.
(via @IanBegley) pic.twitter.com/4MFOw8Mwek
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 24, 2022
The Jazz continue to have strong interest in Knicks’ wing RJ Barrett, per SNY sources. Evan Fournier’s name has also come up in discussions, sources say. The Jazz are seeking at multiple first-round picks. Utah would want at least one of the trio of Obi Toppin, Quentin Grimes and Immanuel Quickley in a trade if Barrett is included, per sources.
Where do the Knicks stand on including Barrett in the deal?
Last month, SNY reported that people in touch with the Knicks early in the free agency period were under the impression that the club had no interest in trading the former No. 3 pick. That stance has shifted. Some New York decision-makers are open to including Barrett in a trade for Mitchell, sources say.
It’s worth pointing out here that there are several voices of influence in the organization. So it makes sense that there would be different opinions among decision-makers in New York. (h/t SNY)
The Knicks won’t get a chance to land an All-Star caliber player this season if they miss the boat on Mitchell. He would easily be their biggest star since Carmelo Anthony and is also a hometown boy.
The Jazz know how much this means to New York but run the risk of losing leverage at the start of the season if Mitchell comes out and admits he is unhappy playing for a tanking Utah Jazz team. Hopefully, some team can swoop in and trade for Mitchell, and that team could possibly be the Knicks.
