For the Knicks, the signing of star point guard Jalen Brunson was their best move of the summer. Besides giving them a reliable option at point guard, Brunson brings shooting and playmaking to a team that desperately needed both.
Still, even after the Brunson move, the Knicks aren’t trying to stop now. According to Marc Berman of The New York Post, the franchise is also aiming to acquire Donovan Mitchell.
And with both Brunson and Mitchell in town, the Knicks are of the belief that their presence would help bring that third star to the club.
The Knicks, too, aren’t concerned with the exact player package — just the amount of first-round picks they give up. The Post reported Saturday the Knicks’ belief is a Jalen Brunson-Mitchell backcourt can be the elixir to a 10-game jump in the standings from 37 wins to 47 wins.
However, if they give up the entire farm of first-rounders, they will be hard-pressed to make another significant trade to make them a championship contender. They believe having Brunson and Mitchell would spur another star to join them.
The Knicks have four future first-round picks that, for the most part, are lottery protected.
That the Knicks reportedly are willing to give up 2020 lottery pick Toppin is a sign of their belief Julius Randle can return closer to 2020-21 form when he was second-team All-NBA. They are hopeful Randle will be in a better space mentally than he was in 2021-22.
It’s certainly an interesting situation for the Knicks. On one hand, trading for Donovan Mitchell seems like a no-brainer move that could vault the team back into the playoffs.
On the other hand, gutting the supporting cast for Mitchell would leave them with limited options moving forward.
