Sources told ESPN that after the New York Knicks temporarily negotiated Monday night, the Cleveland Cavaliers aggressively pursued and acquired three-time All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell in a trade with the Utah Jazz.
Sources said the Cavaliers are sending Jazz forward Laurie Markkanen, rookie Wing Ochai Agbaji, guard Colin Sexton, three unsecured first-round picks (2025, 2027, and 2029), and two pick swaps (2026 and 2028) for Mitchell.
His agent, Clutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, told ESPN that Saxton has agreed to a four-year, $72 million sign-and-trade deal to join the Jazz.
The deal turns the Cavaliers into an Eastern Conference contender with potential staying power, adds Mitchell to a lineup that includes two 2022 All-Stars – guard Darius Garland and center Jarrett Allen – and rookie of the year runner-up Evan Mobley, who appears destined to become an All-NBA player.
As Utah reshapes its roster with off-season trades from All-Star Rudy Gobert and now Mitchell, the franchise has 13 unprotected or lightly protected first-round picks through 2029 and two by 2022. K’s first-round picks include Agabazi of Kansas and 7-footer Walker Kessler. , who arrived with four first-round picks from Minnesota.
Utah plans to continue talks over unloading giants, including Bojan Bogdanovic, Jordan Clarkson and Mike Connelly, and the draft could approach an Oklahoma City-esque of assets.
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) September 1, 2022
Cleveland president of basketball operations Kobe Altman was in discussions with the Jazz last weekend, but talks ended Friday when the two teams could not reach an agreement, sources said. Still, Altman reached out to Utah general manager Justin Zanick on Tuesday morning and resumed talks, the sources said. Within 48 hours, he struck a deal for Michelle.
Sources said New York had the assets of the likes of Utah and the side was approaching a trade on Sunday night and Monday, but the Knicks enlisted Quentin Grimes in a trade with RJ Barrett to acquire Mitchell.
When guard Emmanuel Quickley was proposed as Grimes’ replacement in the trade, Utah wanted to draft three unsecured first-round picks as part of the package – but New York would only make a third first-round pick that included the top five defenses.
The sources said. Those packages will include Milwaukee’s 2025 first-round pick, two second-round picks, two pick swaps, and two expiring contracts from a third team, the sources said. Sources said New York would have moved Ivan Fournier and the first-round pick to a third team to save Utah from Fournier’s remaining $37 million.
New York and Utah discussed several iterations of the Mitchell trade, including a key Knicks initial offer in early July before Mitchell Robinson signed his contract extension. Near the start of talks in early July, New York offered a package that would include the likes of Barrett, Obie Toppin, Robinson, and three unsecured first-rounders, sources told ESPN. Utah turned down that offer, and Robinson signed off on his extension, essentially eliminating the possibility that he could be part of a deal.
In trade talks with Utah, New York President Leon Rose was in parallel talks with Barrett’s agent, Bill Duffy, over a rookie contract extension and with the Jazz set as a deadline to get a deal on Monday night. did or pause to finalize talks on a new deal with Barrett, the sources said.
Barrett’s deal was up to four years and $120 million, Duffy told ESPN added a “poison pill” provision to his contract until next July and allowed the Knicks and Jazz to resume negotiations based on the new deal parameters. forcing Expansion.
New York planned to continue pursuing Mitchell, but the Jazz pivoted to Cleveland discussions and did not include the Knicks in talks again this week, the sources said. The Knicks took a calculated gamble that they could still get a deal done for Mitchell. Sources said the New York-area-born Mitchell was excited about the prospect of playing for the Knicks.
Mitchell became available in trade talks after the Jazz transferred Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves in July. Mitchell, 25, has averaged 23.9 points and 4.5 assists per game during his five-year career with the Jazz and has been an All-Star in each of the last three seasons. He has four years remaining on maximum extension and $134.9 million during the 2020 season, although the final season is a player option for $37.1 million.
Utah has made the playoffs over the past six seasons, the longest current streak in the Western Conference, but has not progressed beyond the second round during that period.
In the wake of last season’s first-round exit against the Dallas Mavericks, the organization has undergone major changes, including the resignation of coach Quinn Snyder, Will Hardy to replace him, and the trades of Gobert and forward Royce O’Neill. Includes augmentation.
