Donovan Mitchell and the Knicks had been paired together in rumor matrimony for a long time, with many expecting the New York native to become the coveted superstar that the ‘Bockers desperately needed.
Many expected to be a matter of when, not if, once the Jazz were tearing it down, but Mitchell wound up in Cleveland after the Knicks reportedly weren’t willing to meet Utah’s asking price.
What exactly was that price? Mitchell told The Athletic’s Sam Amick what he heard, and admitted he thought it was a package that was agreed upon.
“I was told it was RJ [Barrett] and hella [draft] picks,” Mitchell told Amick. “And I thought that was happening. I thought that was it.”
The Knicks instead extended Barrett, held onto their plethora of first-round draft picks, while Mitchell joined the Cavaliers, a team on the rise while New York labors through early mediocrity.
Mitchell was rumored to prefer the Knicks given his upbringing, but told Amick that he “never said” he was focused on being traded to New York, Brooklyn, or Miami. Now his focus is on his Cleveland team while he puts up MVP-type numbers, and the Knicks’ search for a superstar continues.
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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