New York City has many things the city of Cleveland does not. It has huge skyscrapers, a view of the ocean, the Statue of Liberty and eight million more residents. But Cleveland has one thing that the Big Apple doesn’t — Donovan Mitchell.
After months of “Mitchell to the Knicks” rumors and negotiations, the Cleveland Cavaliers swooped in and acquired the three-time All-star from the Jazz, sending three unprotected first-round picks, two pick swaps, guard Collin Sexton, forward Lauri Markkanen and newly drafted rookie Ochai Agbaji to Utah.
With the acquisition of Mitchell, the Cavs have positioned themselves to make a tremendous leap this upcoming season. They pair Mitchell’s 25.9 points per game last season with a promising young point guard in Darius Garland, who earned his first All-star honors last season by leading the team with 21.7 points and 8.6 assists.
While the backcourt duo looks to be severely undersized (with Mitchell and Garland listed at 6-1), the Cavs already have the frontcourt defensive duo to compensate for their defensive liabilities. Evan Mobley, the third overall pick and 2021 rookie of the year runner up, already has the makings of a future defensive player of the year. Next to Mobley is Jarrett Allen, a defensive anchor and rebounding machine with a block highlight reel better than anyone in the NBA.
Mitchell completely changes the trajectory of this team. Despite a disappointing first round exit last season, Mitchell is only 25 years old. He brings to this young Cavs team tangible playoff experience and proven scoring. The Cavs ran everything through Garland in crunch time, making it difficult to win close games.
Mitchell adds a whole new dimension to their offense.
Essentially, Cleveland was able to retain their talented young core without giving up anything of significant value. Collin Sexton? The Cavs lowballed him in restricted free agency, daring him to find a better deal than $40 million over three years. Lauri Markkanen? While it was funny watching head coach J. B. Bickerstaff put him next to Mobley and Allen to form these insane three big man lineups, those lineups were awkward and unsustainable. Ochai Agbaji? I called him a sleeper prospect in our NBA Draft shootaround, but he was on the team for two months.
The unprotected picks might seem scary, but this Cavs team is probably the team most poised for the future. They don’t necessarily need to win now, but they are also good enough to make those traded picks seem like an afterthought.
On the other side of the trade, I can’t help but wonder if this was the best package for Utah. ESPN’s NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Knicks offered RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin, Mitchell Robinson and three unprotected first rounders, which was subsequently turned down and renegotiated. That sounds like a much better package for rebuilding Utah.
You get Barrett, a young forward who’s only gotten better every year and first rounders from a team that can’t help but find themselves in the lottery. Jazz CEO Danny Ainge (architect of the current Boston Celtics) played hardball to get more assets, and the Knicks smartly bailed out of further trade talks, opting to sign Barrett to a four-year, $120 million extension.
Still, the Jazz maximized the values of Mitchell and Gobert as they enter a rebuild. They acquired seven unprotected first-round picks, intriguing young talent and are ready to tank this upcoming season in the hopes of getting the No. 1 prospect in Victor Wembanyama. Those picks still have to become something, but they position the Jazz for a future without Mitchell and Gobert, who together had success in leading the team to five straight playoffs.
It’s a win for two teams going in separate directions. The Cavs hope to ascend back into the upper echelon of the East, in a second post-LeBron James era. The Jazz turn to the draft and the future, a new era for a team that has a storied winning history.
And for New York and the Knicks?
They still have RJ Barrett and the Empire State Building.
