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The Knicks and Jazz reportedly engaged in trade talks for star guard Donovan Mitchell, which is exciting for basketball fans in New York.
The Knicks are the clear favorites to land Mitchell, but there are already some complications, however, that could make this one take a little longer than we might like.
Utah’s Danny Ainge “wants the house” from New York’s front office, likely including NBA 2K23 Summer League standout Quentin Grimes (though probably would not include RJ Barrett, which is great news for some fans).
Instead of Barrett, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst predicts a “historical” haul of draft picks would be moved in such a deal. Early reports suggest offers have included either six or seven (!) future first-round draft picks. There could be a standstill, though, as New York may be reluctant to send out more than four or five.
As such, according to league insider Adrian Wojnarowski, we may have to wait a little longer for an agreement (ESPN):
“I think the Knicks and the Jazz will reengage here at some point. Maybe it’s this week. Maybe it’s next week. Maybe it’s in two or three weeks. The Jazz are not necessarily going to move quickly. The Rudy Gobert talks… that was over a period of time this summer and once Minnesota stepped up with the package they did, that was an easy deal for the Jazz to do.”
The Athletic’s Shams Charania adds that these negotiations could take anywhere from “two-to-three weeks” or the remainder of the season.
So buckle up, basketball fans. It may be a long time until we get any momentum on this blockbuster.
The Tip-Off
Last week, after the Pacers released him, I wrote about why I think the Lakers should seriously consider signing 22-year-old free agent guard Duane Washington:
“The Lakers have to approach their roster construction carefully. They need players ready to contribute next to LeBron, but they also need more young players to prepare for a post-LeBron world. Washington fits those needs as he can hit his jumpers but is only recently 22 years old.
He had six games in which he connected on four or more 3-pointers last season. Outside of LeBron, the Lakers had only three players hit that many 3s in a game, and they only accounted for six total games: Talen Horton-Tucker, Austin Reaves, and Russell Westbrook each had two.”
You can read the rest of my thoughts on why I like the fit by clicking here.
Shootaround
— Damian Lillard hilariously learned Blazers won Summer League while in the pool
— The curious case of John Butler, an undrafted Pelicans rookie with a polarizing future
— HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto talks provided a behind-the-scenes look at Jae’Sean Tate’s deal with the Rockets
— Sixers Wire’s Ky Carlin looks at 3 big men who would fit as a backup for Joel Embiid
