Donovan Mitchell’s New York homecoming may have to wait or be confined to Mets games for now.
The Utah Jazz are reportedly continuing talks with other teams interested in Mitchell as the Knicks have stopped communicating.
“As of right now, sources tell me that talks between the Jazz and the Knicks around a Donovan Mitchell trade have stalled out,” The Athletic’s NBA insider Shams Charania said Friday on The Rally. “I’m told there hasn’t been contact between the two sides in roughly the last two weeks.”
The Knicks have long been viewed as the odds-on favorites to land Mitchell owing to their eight first-round picks and multiple of intriguing young players, particularly Jazz targets Quentin Grimes and Obi Toppin, at their disposal. But their reluctance to get fleeced by Jazz CEO Danny Ainge has become a sticking point in the negotiations.
"As of right now, sources tell me that talks between the Jazz and the Knicks around a Donovan Mitchell trade have stalled out."
NBA Insider @ShamsCharania has the latest on Donovan Mitchell trade discussions. pic.twitter.com/DXLoEicg9v
— The Rally (@TheRally) July 29, 2022
The Jazz have driven up the market value of stars on the trade block — Mitchell and Brooklyn Nets’ Kevin Durant — after dealing three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro, 2022 No. 22 pick Walker Kessler and four first-round picks.
However, no other team in the NBA can match the Knicks’ draft capital. Both the Washington Wizards and the Charlotte Hornets, two teams reportedly in conversation with the Jazz, are capped at two unprotected picks to offer due to the Stepien Rule.
Utah is expected to cicrle back to New York after talks with other teams yield underwhelming trade packages.
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