Immanuel Quickley, New York Knicks. (Photo by Wendell Cruz/USA TODAY Sports)
It’s no secret that the New York Knicks could be the team to “steal” Donovan Mitchell away from the Jazz this summer if he requests a trade. If the Knicks are interested, it won’t be easy to execute a trade, given that Mitchell still has three years left on his five-year max contract.
Utah won’t be content with simply receiving players such as Nerlens Noel, Kemba Walker, or even Evan Fournier. The Jazz are going to dig a bit deeper and do their best to compensate for losing a player like Mitchell.
And given how people in Utah’s front office reportedly felt about New York scouting Game 1 of its first-round playoff series against Dallas, the Knicks are going to need to be ready for a hefty asking price.
If it comes to the point where both sides are engaging in trade talks, it’s going to be up to New York to decide if it wants to go all-in or not. Things will be easier if Mitchell asks to be traded to the Knicks because although the Jazz aren’t obligated to give him what he wants, the three-time All-Star has devoted five seasons to the team.
The Knicks have assets, but the front office will have to be willing to part with at least one “big” name to land Mitchell in a possible trade. With that being said, let’s try to prepare ourselves by going over four potential options.
4 players the New York Knicks could part with in a Donovan Mitchell trade
4: Immanuel Quickley
If Utah loses Mitchell, the front office should be interested in landing a young guard like Immanuel Quickley. He hasn’t been a consistent fixture on the court for New York, but he proved that he at least deserves a shot at contending for the Knicks’ starting point guard position.
The 22-year-old closed out the 2021-22 season on a strong note with two triple-double performances in the final four games. The more time that he spends on the court, the better he’s going to get.
To get Mitchell, the Knicks will most likely have to give up their 2022 first-round draft pick, which means that New York shouldn’t be willing to part ways with Quickley. The likelihood of the Knicks drafting a point guard in round one is low due to supply and that’s only more of a reason to keep Quickley.
The young guard could be the answer that New York’s been searching for at point guard and if a trade for Mitchell comes to fruition, the two would make for an exciting backcourt. Nonetheless, if the Jazz are forced into a rebuild, Quickley would fit the bill.
Tom Thibodeau seems to especially favor Quickley and because of the coach’s relationship with Leon Rose, that should mean something.
New York Knicks</a> could be the team to “steal” Donovan Mitchell away from the Jazz this summer if he requests a trade. If the Knicks are interested, it won’t be easy to execute a trade, given that Mitchell still has three years left on <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/26/4-star-players-knicks-give-possible-donovan-mitchell-trade/"https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/30365445/donovan-mitchell-agrees-5-year-195m-designated-rookie-max-extension-utah-jazz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">his five-year max contract</a>.</p>
<p>Utah won’t be content with simply receiving players such as Nerlens Noel, Kemba Walker, or even Evan Fournier. The Jazz are going to dig a bit deeper and do their best to compensate for losing a player like Mitchell.</p>
<p>And given how people <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/26/4-star-players-knicks-give-possible-donovan-mitchell-trade/"https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/25/jazz-executives-reportedly-displeased-knicks-apparent-donovan-mitchell-scouting/">in Utah’s front office reportedly felt about New York scouting Game 1 of its first-round playoff series against Dallas</a>, the Knicks are going to need to be ready for a hefty asking price.</p>
<p>If it comes to the point where both sides are engaging in trade talks, it’s going to be up to New York to decide if it wants to go all-in or not. Things will be easier if Mitchell asks to be traded to the Knicks because although the Jazz aren’t obligated to give him what he wants, the three-time All-Star has devoted five seasons to the team.</p>
<p>The Knicks have assets, but the front office will have to be willing to part with at least one “big” name to land Mitchell in a possible trade. With that being said, let’s try to prepare ourselves by going over four potential options.</p>
<h2>4 players the New York Knicks could part with in a Donovan Mitchell trade</h2>
<h3>4: Immanuel Quickley</h3>
<p>If Utah loses Mitchell, the front office should be interested in landing a young guard like Immanuel Quickley. He hasn’t been a consistent fixture on the court for New York, but he proved that he at least deserves a shot at contending for the Knicks’ starting point guard position.</p>
<p>The 22-year-old closed out the 2021-22 season on a strong note with two triple-double performances in the final four games. The more time that he spends on the court, the better he’s going to get.</p>
<p>To get Mitchell, the Knicks will most likely have to give up their 2022 first-round draft pick, which means that New York shouldn’t be willing to part ways with Quickley. The likelihood of the Knicks drafting a point guard in round one is low due to supply and that’s only more of a reason to keep Quickley.</p>
<p>The young guard could be the answer that New York’s been searching for at point guard and if a trade for Mitchell comes to fruition, the two would make for an exciting backcourt. Nonetheless, if the Jazz are forced into a rebuild, Quickley would fit the bill.</p>
<p>Tom Thibodeau seems to especially favor Quickley and because of the coach’s relationship with Leon Rose, that should mean something.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/26/4-star-players-knicks-give-possible-donovan-mitchell-trade/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> The dunk champion </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-126744" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/26/4-star-players-knicks-give-possible-donovan-mitchell-trade/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2022%2F04%2F1386779955.jpeg" alt="New York Knicks, Obi Toppin" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2022/04/1386779955.jpeg 3200w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2022/04/1386779955-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Obi Toppin, New York Knicks. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>3: Obi Toppin</h3>
<p>Outside of the new face of the franchise, it’s going to hurt the worst if Obi Toppin’s involved in a trade during the summer. The 24-year-old ended the year on a hot streak, wrapping up the regular season with a career-high 42-point outing against Toronto.</p>
<p>Toppin was the No. 8 overall pick of the 2020 draft, months before Julius Randle set out on his 2020-21 All-Star campaign. He didn’t start at all in his first year with the Knicks but started in 10 games this past season, which was largely due to Randle’s quadriceps injury.</p>
<p>If Randle were to request a trade, Toppin would take his place in the starting lineup. If the 24-year-old were to be traded to Utah, he could take Royce O’Neale’s place as a starter.</p>
<p>It’s not difficult for Toppin to get fans to their feet. He won the 2022 NBA Slam Dunk Contest for a reason, but it’s his quickness in transition that makes him special. The biggest highlight of his game to close out the year was his 3-point shooting. In New York’s final five games, Toppin shot 46% from beyond the arc.</p>
<p>Like Quickley, Toppin’s young and has yet to reach his full potential. Those are the qualities that the Jazz could be looking for in a possible trade. And why wouldn’t they? The front office will have to try to soften the blow of losing Mitchell somehow.</p>
<p>Although Toppin’s only been in New York for two seasons, it would rip Knicks fans’ hearts out to see him go. He’d always have a home in the city, and not just because he’s from there.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/26/4-star-players-knicks-give-possible-donovan-mitchell-trade/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> The face of the future </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-126747" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/26/4-star-players-knicks-give-possible-donovan-mitchell-trade/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2022%2F04%2F1386791360.jpeg" alt="New York Knicks, RJ Barrett" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2022/04/1386791360.jpeg 3200w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2022/04/1386791360-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">RJ Barrett, New York Knicks. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>2: RJ Barrett</h3>
<p>If Utah demands RJ Barrett in a potential trade, that’d make perfect sense, but New York’s front office shouldn’t do it. He’s the most enticing player on the Knicks’ roster because of the growth that he showed in 2022 alone.</p>
<p>Barrett is the face of the franchise and could sign a maximum rookie extension over the summer. Given <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/26/4-star-players-knicks-give-possible-donovan-mitchell-trade/"https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/09/rj-barrett-comments-prove-meant-new-york-knicks-life/">what he’s said about playing in New York, the Knicks should pay him what he’s worth</a>. If for whatever reason the two sides can’t agree to an extension between now and the end of next year, he’ll become a restricted free agent in 2023.</p>
<p>There isn’t a reason to believe that’ll happen. New York is expected to make a flurry of moves during the offseason and they should be centered around Barrett. That’s how special he is.</p>
<p>In the Jazz’s eyes, Mitchell is the same. However, gaining Utah’s star isn’t worth giving up Barrett, although the possibility of it happening shouldn’t be ruled out.</p>
<p>As mentioned, if Mitchell is unhappy and specifically asks to be traded to the Knicks, New York will have the upper hand.</p>
<p>At 21-years-old, it should be a no-brainer to keep Barrett on the roster. He’s a leader, is going to give the team everything that he’s got, and is going to continue to get better. That’s not something that any team, especially the Knicks, should pass up on.</p>
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