Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) jumps toward the basket as he gets past Memphis Grizzlies guard John Konchar (46) during an NBA basketball game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, April 5, 2022. Utah won 121-115.
Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
The news that broke Monday night about the New York Knicks finalizing a contract extension for RJ Barrett had a ripple effect in the Utah Jazz community: How could it impact a potential trade between the Jazz and Knicks that involves Donovan Mitchell?
The Knicks — with their deep draft capital — are seen as the favorite to land the Jazz’s All-Star guard, if Utah ultimately decides to trade him.
That’s why, when ESPN surveyed 15 NBA coaches, scouts and executives
Of the 15 surveyed, 14 voted for the Knicks, while one voted Mitchell would stay in Utah.
ESPN insider Tim Bontemps noted that the survey took place before Monday night’s news about Barrett, information that could change the dynamic of a trade between the two teams.
Still, these anonymous NBA personnel sounded convinced that New York will be the ultimate landing spot for Mitchell, who is a New York native.
“If what (the Jazz) want is draft picks, if that’s their most important thing, then New York has the ability to give them what they want,” an East executive told ESPN. “You’re never going to get (full) value when you trade a guy like that, so it becomes a matter of what’s important to the team involved. It seems like that’s what Utah wants.”
Earlier this offseason, New York landed coveted free agent guard Jalen Brunson. One East scout argued that the Knicks, who’ve qualified for the playoffs just once since going to the Eastern Conference semifinals in the 2012-13 season, need to further commit to being more competitive and make a move for Mitchell.
“You have to give up all the picks? Fine,” the scout told ESPN. “What you have is not enough, and that’s a major understatement. At least you’re on the way (with Mitchell). You need great perimeter players. They have a major player in Brunson, but at least you’re headed in the right direction with them. You might be able to attract free agents then.”
The ESPN survey covered 10 topics, from the short term (things like who wins the NBA title this year and who’s the best player in the league right now) to the long term (what rookie will be the best player in five years).
The Jazz were the runaway winner, though, on the topic of the biggest surprise move of the offseason — trading their All-Star center Rudy Gobert to Minnesota,
It was the terms of the deal — the Timberwolves gave up Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro and multiple first-round picks in exchange for Gobert — that made it the clear choice.
“What Minnesota gave up for him, (plus) the fact they traded for him when they already had (Karl-Anthony) Towns,” an East scout told ESPN. “I would not have predicted that.
“(And) what they paid for him now has the ripple effect of making it harder to trade (Kevin) Durant and Mitchell.”
The Jazz also received a pair of votes on the question surrounding which NBA team had the best offseason.
Boston earned that distinction, garnering six votes.
“The Celtics added two quality rotation players — guard Malcolm Brogdon in a trade with the Indiana Pacers, and forward Danilo Gallinari as a free agent — without sacrificing any of their top eight players who got them to the NBA Finals,” Bontemps wrote.
Philadelphia also earned two votes — after adding P.J. Tucker, Danuel House and De’Anthony Melton — leaving the Celtics, Jazz and Sixers as the only teams with multiple votes.
Utah also traded Royce O’Neale to the Brooklyn Nets for a 2023 first-round pick, and last week, the Jazz finalized a deal that sends Beverley, acquired from Minnesota, to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson.
“The Jazz received two votes for the draft-pick haul they received in the Rudy Gobert trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves, while the Knicks got one for signing Jalen Brunson and for not overreacting to Mitchell being available and deviating from their plan,” Bontemps wrote.
“(The Knicks) accumulated picks. They’re not going out and throwing money at bad free agents,” an East scout told ESPN.
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