Donovan Mitchell

The New York Knicks and Miami Heat are reportedly not alone in their pursuit of Donovan Mitchell.

The Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors, Charlotte Hornets, Sacramento Kings and Atlanta Hawks have expressed interest in trading for the All-Star guard, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

The Knicks remain the favorite to land Mitchell thanks in large part to their ability to trade up to eight future first-round picks. However, Charania reported negotiations have been progressing "slowly," and the two sides are nowhere close to reaching a trade.

The Jazz have been "patient" in trade talks, letting the market play itself out rather than jumping on the first offer. Mitchell has three years remaining on his contract, so the team can afford to be patient—even as it's become obvious the front office is angling for a full-scale rebuild.

Utah began its offseason by trading three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert for a haul that included zero players who will improve the team next season. Patrick Beverley, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt all have some value individually, but they were largely salary flotsam as the Jazz added four future first-round picks and 2022 first-rounder Walker Kessler.

Given the Jazz's strategy in trading Gobert, the Knicks' haul of draft picks makes them an obvious fit. It's likely Utah will want to top—or, at the very least, match—the four first-rounders the team received for Gobert in Mitchell talks. If the Knicks are willing to meet the asking price, they have enough mid-level salaries they can throw together and send Utah's way for Mitchell without moving Julius Randle or RJ Barrett.

None of the other teams mentioned in Charania's report has the same level of draft-pick compensation available. The Wizards could include future first-round picks along with 2022 first-rounder Johnny Davis and other pieces. The Raptors are probably out of the picture given their continued unwillingness to include Scottie Barnes in any talks. The Hornets don't have any All-Star-caliber young players besides the untouchable LaMelo Ball. The Hawks and Kings have made significant moves in recent months that have depleted their asset coffers.

The overwhelming likelihood is that Mitchell is playing at Madison Square Garden or in Salt Lake City when the 2022-23 season tips off.

The New York Knicks' pursuit of All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz is reportedly centered around the number of first-round draft picks they're willing to move.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported the latest update Tuesday on Stein Line Live (via HoopsHype) about Jazz CEO Danny Ainge's push for more of New York's future selections.

"My intel has been that the Knicks are trying to do this only surrendering four or five firsts," Stein said. "But someone I trust told me today that they think that Danny was going for seven of the eight firsts."

Utah already helped set the market for blockbuster trades this offseason when it sent three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves. That deal featured four first-round picks and an additional pick swap.

It's unlikely Mitchell would be moved for less than that, and it's no surprise the Jazz are seeking even more given the premium value of guards in today's NBA compared to an old-school center like Gobert despite his high-end production at the defensive end.

The question is whether the Knicks are prepared to stake pretty much their entire future on Mitchell.

SNY's Ian Begley reported last week that New York's front office is "wary" that giving up too much in the deal would leave it without "enough left on the roster to field a contending team."

The Knicks haven't featured an offensive talent of Mitchell's caliber since Carmelo Anthony, who last played for the franchise in 2016-17, but the Melo years also showed that having a high-end scorer doesn't guarantee team success if there isn't enough talent around him.

Giving up seven first-rounders would also limit New York's ability to add young players on team-friendly contracts to fill out the bottom of the roster.

Yet, the Knicks are also facing a lot pressure to revitalize the roster this summer after missing the playoffs with a 37-45 record one season after ending a seven-year playoff drought.

Mitchell could certainly provide a massive boost heading toward 2022-23. He's coming off a season in which he averaged 25.9 points, 5.3 assists, 4.2 rebounds, 3.5 threes and 1.5 steals across 67 games for Utah.

Pairing the three-time All-Star with RJ Barrett, Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson and the recently signed Jalen Brunson would give the Knicks a formidable starting lineup, but depth would already be a concern before the future first-rounders even come into play.

All told, there's no indication the sides are close to a blockbuster agreement, but the link between Mitchell and the Knicks continues to linger.

Much like the ongoing Kevin Durant trade saga, Donovan Mitchell's exit from the Utah Jazz may drag on deep into the summer.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Tuesday that the Jazz discussed a Mitchell trade with the New York Knicks but will continue to canvass offers from around the league. As a result, Wojnarowski said, a final agreement "is going to take some time."

Utah seemed to wrap up the Rudy Gobert trade in relatively short order.

On June 28, The Athletic's Tony Jones reported the team was "still engaging in trade talk," with Gobert one of the possible outgoing pieces. Three days later, Wojnarowski was reporting the terms of the deal that sent him to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The massive haul the Jazz received for the veteran center (four first-round picks and additional compensation) might have guaranteed a Mitchell trade would be a drawn-out affair.

The 25-year-old guard is arguably a more valuable trade asset than Gobert, but one team executive told The Action Network's Matt Moore that it has become more difficult to gauge what a star like Mitchell is worth.

"How are we supposed to establish a market after that?" the executive said in reference to the Gobert trade. "It was one thing when Milwaukee [traded five firsts for Jrue Holiday], they were in a specific spot. If you want an All-Star, it starts with six picks, plus good rotation guys? It's going to poison the market for a while."

Mitchell is also under contract for at least three more seasons, while the Jazz know this is the last big move that will shape their direction moving forward. Utah has to fully capitalize on this opportunity, and it has the luxury of being able to wait around.

It's the exact same position that the Brooklyn Nets are in with Durant.

Keeping a star player who wants out can create a difficult dynamic, but that's preferable to shipping him out for a lower than expected return simply to get rid of him.

If the Jazz are going to dig their heels in—and it appears they are—Mitchell might be stuck in Salt Lake City longer than expected.

If the New York Knicks swing a trade for Donovan Mitchell, the next move could be a deal for Russell Westbrook, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

A source told Stein the Knicks would want to "explore scenarios to trade away Julius Randle" if they can acquire Mitchell. A swap for Westbrook could help clear the remaining three years of Randle's initial four-year, $117 million contract signed last offseason after his All-Star campaign in 2020-21.

Westbrook is set to make $47.1 million in 2022-23 after opting into the final year of his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.

As Stein noted, the Lakers will first try to use Westbrook in a trade for Kyrie Irving but could be interested in Randle as a secondary option.

ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported Saturday the talks between the Lakers and Brooklyn Nets have "not progressed."

Los Angeles could still be motivated to deal away Westbrook after a disappointing 2021-22 where the squad missed the playoffs with a 33-49 record. Randle could be a reasonable return in a trade, adding a double-double threat who played his first four years with the Lakers.

Though Randle struggled with consistency last year, he is averaging 22.1 points, 10.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game over his last two seasons with the Knicks. It could give the Lakers an added scoring boost behind James and Davis as the squad tries to get back into playoff contention.

The Knicks, meanwhile, likely wouldn't even want Westbrook in the backcourt, as Stein reported, but would instead use the deal to shed payroll.

Randle's contract alone isn't enough to match salaries, but adding Evan Fournier or Derrick Rose to the deal would do it if the Lakers were to accept this type of package.

It could clear up space for an RJ Barrett contract extension with the guard heading into the final year of his contract. New York would then be able to build around Barrett, Mitchell, Jalen Brunson and Mitchell Robinson.

The first domino would still be swinging a trade for Mitchell.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Knicks are a "motivated suitor," but they'll still need to find a package that works for the Utah Jazz.

Utah Jazz All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell reportedly expressed some concern after the organization traded away All-Star center Rudy Gobert and starting small forward Royce O'Neale last week.

Speaking Wednesday on Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective, ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst said Mitchell essentially asked Jazz higher-ups what their plan was after trading away two key players primarily for draft picks.

Windhorst noted that the plan is to "do what's right for the franchise" and that the Jazz decision-makers, including CEO of basketball operations Danny Ainge, felt the trades were in the long-term best interest of the franchise.

After sending O'Neale to the Brooklyn Nets for a 2023 first-round pick, the Jazz agreed to trade Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves for four first-round picks, three of which are unprotected, plus Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Leandro Bolmaro and 2022 No. 22 overall pick Walker Kessler.

Windhorst went on to say that while the Jazz haven't officially put Mitchell on the trade block, he believes they have a price and would be willing to trade their franchise cornerstone if the offer is good enough.

Mitchell has been a star on the rise since entering the NBA as the No. 13 overall pick out of Louisville in 2017. He has shown improvements in each of his five seasons and been named an All-Star in each of the past three campaigns.

Last season, Mitchell averaged 25.9 points and 4.2 rebounds per game to go along with a career-high 5.3 assists, 3.5 three-pointers made and 1.5 steals. He also shot 44.8 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from beyond the arc.

The Jazz have never missed the playoffs during Mitchell's tenure, but they have also never made it past the second round, prompting them to make some significant changes.

Trading Gobert was the biggest move, as the 7'1" Frenchman is a three-time All-Star and three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year who won his first rebounding title last season with 14.7 per game.

There is no obvious replacement for Gobert on the roster, leaving the Jazz with a gaping hole at center, especially from a defense and rebounding perspective.

O'Neale's stats weren't as impressive as Gobert's, but he still had a career year in 2021-22, averaging 7.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 three-pointers made and 1.1 steals per game in 77 starts while shooting 45.7 percent from the floor and 38.9 percent from deep.

The Jazz did receive a bevy of role players in the Gobert trade, so they may be able to replace O'Neale by committee, but they have to be considered a worse team than they were last season with Gobert no longer in the fold.

Utah has more than enough assets to make some trades before the start of the 2022-23 season and build around Mitchell, but for now, it is fair for Mitchell to wonder if the Jazz are planning on entering a rebuild.

On the heels of dealing All-Star center Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, the Utah Jazz reportedly aren't open to sending out All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell.

According to Tony Jones of The Athletic, the Jazz are "not amenable" to trading Mitchell because of their desire to build around him.

Jones noted that there could be an exception, however, if the Jazz are offered a package approaching what they received for Gobert.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski (h/t ESPN's Tim MacMahon) reported Friday that the T-Wolves agreed to send four first-round picks, Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Leandro Bolmaro and 2022 No. 22 overall draft pick Walker Kessler to the Jazz for Gobert.

Utah has been a perennial playoff team since it selected Mitchell with the No. 13 pick in the 2017 draft, reaching the postseason the year before he was drafted and in each of the five seasons since.

Playoff success has largely eluded the Jazz, though, as they have never gotten out of the second round during that six-year run.

Changes were needed, and some big ones have occurred with Gobert's trade and Quin Snyder's decision to step down as head coach. The Jazz subsequently replaced Snyder with former Boston Celtics assistant coach Will Hardy.

Jones noted that the Jazz want to build around Mitchell "on the fly," which is possible given the assets they have.

The Jazz still have a strong core around Mitchell in Bojan Bogdanovic, Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson, plus they have plenty of ammo for trades based on what they received for Gobert.

One thing the Gobert trade did was leave a huge hole in Utah's frontcourt, and the Jazz may already be looking to fill it.

John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 reported Friday that the Jazz have expressed interest in a potential sign-and-trade for Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton, who was the No. 1 pick in 2018.

Ayton has never been an All-Star and doesn't have the defensive chops of Gobert, who is a three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, but Ayton is likely better offensively and has averaged a double-double for his career, so he could be a fine fit in Utah.

He would be an ideal offensive complement inside to the outside ability of Mitchell, who is a three-time All-Star and is coming off a season in which he averaged 25.9 points, 5.3 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game.

With Mitchell leading the way and a few additions around him, the Jazz should be a playoff team again next season and perhaps be a bigger threat to make a deep run.

If the Utah Jazz make Donovan Mitchell available for a trade this summer, the New York Knicks might not be among the teams interested because of the price it would take to land him.

The Knicks are "wary of trading the combination of picks and players that it would take to land a player like Mitchell," according to SNY's Ian Begley. New York believes that putting together a package for the Jazz guard wouldn't leave the team with enough to contend.

The Knicks enter the 2022-23 season with a starting rotation that includes Jalen Brunson, Evan Fournier, RJ Barrett, Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson, with depth pieces such as Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickley and Cam Reddish.

New York agreed to a four-year, $104 million deal with Brunson in free agency, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, prying the point guard from the Dallas Mavericks. The franchise also re-signed Robinson to a four-year, $60 million deal.

While it's unlikely the Knicks would be willing to part with either Brunson or Robinson in a package for Mitchell after signing them to lucrative deals, both Fournier and Randle have been linked to New York in trade rumors this summer.

Begley reported Friday that Fournier continues to be included in trade discussions, and The Athletic's Fred Katz reported on the Callin Shots podcast (h/t R.P. Salao of Clutch Points) that the Knicks "have inquired with other teams about moving" Randle.

It's unclear what Utah would want in exchange for Mitchell, though Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune noted the Jazz should receive a "massive haul" if they decide to trade him.

Utah would want far more than Fournier and Randle in return for its superstar, especially after trading Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro, Walker Kessler and four first-round picks.

Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer also reported in May that it would be "highly unlikely" for the Knicks to acquire Mitchell, adding that "there's healthy skepticism around the NBA that New York’s best offer for Mitchell would trump other teams' pursuits."

The 25-year-old has been a staple in the Utah lineup since being selected 13th overall in 2017. He had a solid 2021-22 campaign, averaging 25.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 44.8 percent from the floor and 35.5 percent from deep on the way to his third All-Star selection.

It should be no surprise that the Jazz plan to "retool" around Mitchell, per Wojnarowski.

Still, Mitchell has been linked to the Knicks for a long time, and it's hard to imagine the franchise not at least exploring the possibility of adding the New York native.

In January, Ric Bucher of Fox Sports reported that the Jazz are "a first-round exit from Donovan being in New York." Newsday's Steve Popper added in February that Knicks executive vice president William Wesley had been planning a move for Mitchell.

Mitchell reiterated his commitment to the Jazz in an interview with Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports in February, but his mindset could have since changed, especially with Gobert having been moved.

The Utah Jazz have moved on from star big man Rudy Gobert, sending him to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a blockbuster deal on Friday in exchange for Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro, Walker Kessler and four first-round picks, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

While Gobert had been included in trade rumors all offseason, his move to Minnesota was shocking to many fans around the NBA.

That said, the Jazz were praised for their absolute haul of a return. While the individual players included in the deal aren't the best, the whopping four first-round picks, one of which is top-five protected in 2029, will be a game-changer for Utah in the future.

Gobert, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, was always going to command a hefty return, but not many believed the Jazz would be able to snag four first-round picks for the veteran, in addition to a number of roster players.

That said, Minnesota's lineup could be one of the best in the NBA in 2022-23 with Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels and D'Angelo Russell set to take the floor together.

The Timberwolves possibly felt like they needed to make this trade in order to compete against the likes of the Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies and Phoenix Suns in an increasingly difficult Western Conference.

Pairing Gobert with Towns will undoubtedly make the franchise a contender in 2022-23 and beyond. The 30-year-old averaged 15.6 points, 14.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 2.1 blocks per game last season for a Utah team that was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.

In 2022-23, Gobert and the Timberwolves will be a serious threat to make a deep playoff run.

As for Utah, it seems more and more likely the franchise is headed for a rebuild, though Wojnarowski reported the team plans to retool the roster around Donovan Mitchell. However, if the Jazz also end up trading Mitchell, it will be clear that the franchise wants to start anew.