The Utah Jazz are in ongoing negotiation with the New York Knicks about a potential trade for Donovan Mitchell. During an appearance on ESPN 700 in Salt Lake City the Athletic’s Tony Jones revealed the talks about the Jazz’s superstar hit a snag.
“The two teams have had substantial talks, they’ve had ongoing talks. There was a feeling that things were a little bit close as late as Tuesday night, but the Knicks, according to my sources, kind of backed away,” Jones said (h/t New York Post).
Per Jones, the Jazz want the Knicks’ available draft capital and “New York’s high-impact young guys” minus RJ Barrett, who is eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer. Currently, the Knicks control 11 first-round picks over the next seven years.
Eight of those can be included in a trade, while New York will have to give up Derrick Rose or Evan Fournier for salary cap purposes. The Heat are also believed to be interested in Donovan, although they don’t have the draft-pick to make a deal.
As of now, the Jazz are likely targeting the Knicks’ young players core which includes Quentin Grimes, Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin and Miles McBride as Jones reported. The Jazz have already involved in a blockbuster trade this offseason.
They traded Rudy Gobert for four first-round picks and five players. They will likely demand a similar or better package for Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell joined Utah in 2017 and has been the Jazz’s leader since 2019. Last season, he averaged 25.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists.
