Donovan Mitchell

The Cavaliers acquired guard Donovan Mitchell from the Jazz for three players and three first-round draft picks, according to multiple reports.

Markkanen, 25, averaged 14.8 points and 5.7 rebounds in 61 games last season, his first with the Cavaliers. Sexton, 23, played in just 11 games for the Cavaliers last season before undergoing season-ending surgery on his left knee. The trade of Mitchell, a three-time All-Star, signifies a full-on rebuilding project for the Jazz as they were unable to reach the Western Conference finals in recent seasons with Mitchell and star center Rudy Gobert on the roster. Agbaji, 22, was a first-round pick (14th overall) in the 2022 draft after being named an All-American at Kansas. Speculation all summer had Mitchell interested in being traded to his hometown New York Knicks. Utah will receive three unprotected first-round draft choices and two pick swaps.

Who saw that coming? After an off-season full of Donovan Mitchell to the New York Knicks talk, a different Eastern Conference team has secured the ...

New York’s decision to extend RJ Barrett on a four-year, $120 million ($A177m) deal earlier in the week was initially reported as nothing but a minor hurdle in acquiring Mitchell. The deal itself comes as a massive shock to the NBA world, and Knicks fans in particular, who were waiting patiently for a Mitchell trade that seemed inevitable. After an off-season full of Donovan Mitchell to the New York Knicks talk, a different Eastern Conference team has secured the All-Star’s services, with the Cleveland Cavaliers making a massive statement on Friday (AEST).

The Cavs are trading Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, Collin Sexton, three first-round picks and two pick swaps to the Jazz for Donovan Mitchell, sources told ...

[Immanuel Quickley](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4395724/immanuel-quickley) was proposed as a replacement for Grimes in the trade, Utah wanted three unprotected first-round draft picks as part of the package -- but New York would only do a third first-round pick that included top-five protections, sources said. New York planned to continue pursuing Mitchell, sources said, but the Jazz pivoted to the Cleveland discussions and never again engaged the Knicks in talks this week, sources said. He has four years and $134.9 million remaining on the maximum extension he signed during the 2020 offseason, though the final season is a player option for $37.1 million. The organization has undergone major changes in the wake of last season's first-round exit against the Barrett's deal -- four years and worth up to $120 million, Duffy told ESPN -- added a "poison pill" provision to his contract until next July and would've forced the Knicks and Jazz to restart talks with new deal parameters based on the extension. Mitchell, 25, has averaged 23.9 points and 4.5 assists per game during his five-year career with the Jazz, and he has been an All-Star each of the past three seasons. New York would've moved out [Evan Fournier](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/6588/evan-fournier) and first-round pick to a third team to spare Utah taking on Fournier's remaining $37 million, sources said. Nevertheless, Altman reached back out to Utah general manager Justin Zanik on Tuesday morning and started the talks again, sources said. [Quentin Grimes](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4397014/quentin-grimes) in a trade with [RJ Barrett](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4395625/rj-barrett) to acquire Mitchell, sources said. Cleveland general manager Koby Altman had been in discussions with the Jazz through late last week, but ended talks Friday when the two teams couldn't reach an agreement, sources said. [Darius Garland](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4396907/darius-garland) and center [Jarrett Allen](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4066328/jarrett-allen) -- and Rookie of the Year runner-up [Evan Mobley](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4432158/evan-mobley), who appears destined to become an All-NBA player. [Lauri Markkanen](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4066336/lauri-markkanen), rookie wing [Ochai Agbaji](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4397018/ochai-agbaji), guard [Collin Sexton](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4277811/collin-sexton), three unprotected first-round picks (2025, 2027 and 2029) and two pick swaps (2026 and 2028) for Mitchell, sources said.

Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports also reports Cleveland is sending Lauri Markkanen, Colin Sexton and Ochai Agbaji to Utah as part of the deal. Sexton will is ...

The unprotected picks are in [2025, 2027 and 2029](https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1565428495404130309?s=20&t=2_I_XNErOhEwvJIxmvijHA) with the pick swaps being in 2026 and 2028. Now, both the franchise and Mitchell will get a fresh start. Sexton is signing a new four-year deal worth $72 million that’s fully guaranteed in the sign-and-trade deal, per [The Athletic’s Shams Charania](https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1565425569914884098?s=20&t=2_I_XNErOhEwvJIxmvijHA). Mitchell averaged 23.9 points, 4.5 assists and 4.2 rebounds this past season on 45% shooting from the field. 13 pick in the 2017 draft, and with he and Rudy Gobert now gone from the franchise, it appears as though the Jazz are entering a full rebuild. [three unprotected first round picks and two pick swaps](https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1565423510276767750?s=20&t=mgulLU3pDA64Lw19sPwR6w), according to ESPN’s [Adrian Wojnarowski](https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1565422694283321346?s=20&t=HOu-MfNC4RoRttKJo-im0w).

After months of speculation, Donovan Mitchell and the Jazz finally found an unlikely suitor.

Getting zero protections on three first-round picks is a nice piece of negotiation, but the chances that those picks fall into the lottery seem slim given how young the Cavs' core is. He's one of the best at putting pressure on the rim and as a pure scorer. The Cavs still do have some serious issues at the wing. [20th in the regular season](https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/advanced/?sort=OFF_RATING&dir=-1&Season=2021-22&SeasonType=Regular%20Season) last year, was devoid of that punch outside of Darius Garland's strong playmaking and shooting. The top four for the Cavs of Mitchell, Allen, Garland and Mobley are immediately one of the most electrifying in the league. After months of speculation, Donovan Mitchell and the Jazz finally found an unlikely suitor.

The Jazz will receive Collin Sexton, Lauri Markannen, Ochai Agbaji, three unprotected first-round picks and two pick swaps in the trade. Sexton, who entered the ...

Mitchell, who turns 26 next week, was selected by Utah 13th overall in the 2017 draft and quickly blossomed into one of the league’s best scorers, averaging a team-high 25.9 points last season. What’s more, the Knicks’ price for including Barrett, their top rising talent, in a deal for Mitchell was unclear. For weeks, Mitchell had been linked in rumors to the New York Knicks, who have been pursuing talent upgrades and possess a treasure chest of tradable assets that other teams might find hard to match. Meanwhile, Mobley and Allen form one of the NBA’s best interior defensive duos, helping to cover for Mitchell’s limitations on that end. That blockbuster move signaled Utah was eyeing a total rebuild, meaning Mitchell was probably the next domino to fall. After previously acquiring Walker Kessler, the 22nd pick in this year’s draft, in a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves this summer, Utah will add the 22-year-old Agbaji, who was the 14th player selected.

Mitchell heads to Cleveland, while Collin Sexton joins Utah via a sign-and-trade deal.

He’s a proven scorer but he became expendable for Cleveland due to Garland’s development and the club’s talented frontline. There had been speculation for months that Mitchell might get moved, and it appeared the New York Knicks were the frontrunner for him. Cleveland, meanwhile, is looking to contend right now. Along with the Rudy Gobert trade with Minnesota, Utah has gathered 13 unprotected or lightly protected picks through 2029. [September 1, 2022] The Cavaliers will send three players, three unprotected first-round picks and two pick swaps in return.

The Cavs are trading Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, Collin Sexton, three first-round picks and two pick swaps to the Jazz for Donovan Mitchell, sources told ...

[Darius Garland](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4396907/darius-garland), [Evan Mobley](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4432158/evan-mobley) and [Jarrett Allen](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4066328/jarrett-allen) in Cleveland. [Rudy Gobert](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3032976/rudy-gobert) to the [Minnesota Timberwolves](/nba/team/_/name/min/minnesota-timberwolves) for five first-round picks. [Lauri Markkanen](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4066336/lauri-markkanen), [Ochai Agbaji](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4397018/ochai-agbaji), [Collin Sexton](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4277811/collin-sexton) and Cleveland's unprotected first-round picks in 2025, 2027 and 2029 as well as pick swaps in 2026 and 2028, sources said.

The Cavs just acquired Donovan Mitchell from the Jazz, and social media had a lot to say about it.

[September 1, 2022] Mitchell responded to Garland, expressing his excitement about sharing the floor with the Cavs point guard. 22 pick [Walker Kessler](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4433136/walker-kessler) and four first-round picks. [https://t.co/5lqkyvBvSP] [September 1, 2022] [Quin Snyder resigned](/nba/story/_/id/34042961/utah-jazz-coach-quin-snyder-resigns-eight-seasons) from his position, and [Utah traded Royce O'Neal](https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1542581793546723329) to the [Brooklyn Nets](/nba/team/_/name/bkn/brooklyn-nets) for a 2023 first-round pick.

After months of speculation, Donovan Mitchell and the Jazz finally found an unlikely suitor.

Getting zero protections on three first-round picks is a nice piece of negotiation, but the chances that those picks fall into the lottery seem slim given how young the Cavs' core is. He's one of the best at putting pressure on the rim and as a pure scorer. The Cavs still do have some serious issues at the wing. [20th in the regular season](https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/advanced/?sort=OFF_RATING&dir=-1&Season=2021-22&SeasonType=Regular%20Season) last year, was devoid of that punch outside of Darius Garland's strong playmaking and shooting. The top four for the Cavs of Mitchell, Allen, Garland and Mobley are immediately one of the most electrifying in the league. After months of speculation, Donovan Mitchell and the Jazz finally found an unlikely suitor.

Donovan Mitchell was traded from the Utah Jazz to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, we take a look at how this trade affects the Milwaukee Bucks.

What does Donovan Mitchell coming over to the Cavaliers mean for their head to head matchups with the Milwaukee Bucks? So Donovan Mitchell being traded to the Cavaliers means that the Milwaukee Bucks will have to face Mitchell twice as often, going from twice a year as a member of the Utah Jazz in the Western Conference, to now four times this season as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Bucks and new look Cavaliers will be well acquainted early in the season, two matchups in Milwaukee will take place on November 16th and 25th, with the other two matchups coming on December 21st and January 21st, those two games in Cleveland. Collin Sexton is a solid player and I’ll admit I’m happy to see Markkanen go because his size was effective guarding Khris Middleton for stretches when the Bucks and Cavaliers played. What does that have to do with the Milwaukee Bucks? It was announced Thursday that Donovan Mitchell was indeed traded, not to the New York Knicks as previously rumored, but to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Sixers' Eastern Conference rival, the Wizards, were believed to be in on the Donovan Mitchell sweepstakes.

A Sixers rival, the [New York Knicks](http://si.com/nba/knicks), were regarded as the favorite to land Mitchell as they had interest and the assets the Jazz desired. Last season, the Wizards finished 12th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 35-47. Per Mayo, the unknown offer was believed to be a strong one from the Wizards’ end, and Washington believed they were “firmly in the hunt” for Mitchell. Not too long after the Knicks inked Barrett to an extension, the Washington Wizards were linked to Mitchell as a potential trade destination. [Utah Jazz](http://si.com/nba/jazz) proves that the Durant situation was only an exception. As we know now, talks between the Sixers and the Nets didn’t go very far, and at this point, the Durant sweepstakes are over without a trade.

We round up a series of reports outlining what New York had been willing to give up for Mitchell.

Still, there’s a pretty consistent message that the Knicks were, at the very least, willing to trade Barrett, two unprotected first-round picks, and some additional draft compensation for Mitchell. It’s worth noting that the Knicks themselves are likely to be one of the primary sources leaking these after-the-fact details. That’s a little hard to believe, given how many different versions of deals the two sides discussed, but it sounds like New York wasn’t interested in adding the second-year guard as a sweetener to offers that already included Barrett and significant draft capital. [Obi Toppin](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/t/toppiob01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-), [Mitchell Robinson](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/robinmi01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-) (via sign-and-trade), and three unprotected first-round picks. “They held back on best offers of picks and players and Danny got his three unprotected.” However, New York felt that price was too steep and decided to extend Barrett instead. [Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News](https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/ny-donovan-mitchell-trade-cleveland-cavaliers-20220901-hrblkblupfgxrgng6zmgmst2ra-story.html): Here’s what a few key national and local reporters are saying: [via Twitter](https://twitter.com/NYPost_Berman/status/1565448351805489155)) that the Knicks withheld Grimes from all of their offers. [Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports](https://sports.yahoo.com/donovan-mitchell-joins-ambitious-cavaliers-after-knicks-balk-at-parting-with-rj-barrett-quentin-grimes-234146474.html): [RJ Barrett](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/barrerj01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-), the Knicks balked at including [Quentin Grimes](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/grimequ01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-) in a package that already featured Barrett, two unprotected first-round picks, the Bucks’ 2025 first-rounder (top-four protected), two second-round picks, two pick swaps, and a pair of expiring contracts from a third team. [Marc Berman of The New York Post](https://nypost.com/2022/09/01/jazz-trade-donovan-mitchell-to-cavaliers-as-knicks-dream-dies/):

Sources: The Cleveland Cavaliers are trading Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, three first-round picks and two pick swaps to the Utah Jazz for ...

[Malik Beasley](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/malik-beasley-yfU5XpdFccfejw6f/) and [Talen Horton-Tucker](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/talen-horton-tucker-BTRutYr7uDmgEReU/) are around. But defensively, they have [Evan Mobley](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/evan-mobley-W7q1n9hiubBbXJMk/) and [Jarrett Allen](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/jarrett-allen-52csaKyJnLhhpzzw/) behind them and Cleveland zips past the Knicks with this trade. The Jazz would likely have had to take back bad money in the deal in the form of The Jazz also exit the offseason with two members of the 2022 NBA Draft’s first round in Agbaji, and Surely the Jazz would want to see what they have in Agbaji, but people like Clarkson, [Bojan Bogdanovic](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/bojan-bogdanovic-TtD4HPxVGnoaeLuy/), guard [Mike Conley](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/mike-conley-ATGxUh1i1HZNS4FM/) and guard [Jordan Clarkson](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/jordan-clarkson-lZN2TqEprnwssIGM/). The Jazz liked that offer but wanted to continue negotiating with the Knicks, with whom they were still in talks. The negotiation with the Knicks had been a long and winding road that led to nowhere. Even as negotiations broke off Monday night, sources say the Knicks believed the Jazz would come back to the table, with the belief that the Knicks had the best package for Mitchell, coupled with the belief that the Jazz had no other options on the market. The Knicks were seen as heavy favorites to land Mitchell, and as perhaps the only team in the league with the kind of assets capable of prying him from the Jazz. [Julius Randle](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/julius-randle-ZOBqK4RMFKL7YI2Q/), [their power forward who is from the Dallas area](https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine/status/1515394406349774852?s=20&t=KBwBxb88PfWx06E_u52hDQ). From the Cavs, the Jazz will receive the kind of package they had been seeking for much of the negotiation with the Knicks.

The Eastern Conference just got a whole lot better. Coming off of a surprising season that saw them win 44 games and compete for a playoff spot, ...

Garland, Mitchell and Allen recently signed extensions, and Mobley will be under team control for nearly a decade. Basically, the Eastern Conference is going to be a dog fight. Allen, 24, and Mitchell, 25, are the oldest of the group, and yet they're both under 26. Garland proved to be one of the best point guards in the NBA last season and won't turn 23 years old until January. [doesn't exactly have the best defensive reputation](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/mavericks-jazz-luka-doncic-nba-playoff-defense/zrj7wggrryez7rxvwvbie7sd) — neither does Garland for that matter — he's now going to be playing next to not one, but two elite defenders in the frontcourt. Again, they're losing a lot of size in swapping the 6-foot-11 Markkanen for the 6-foot-1 Mitchell, but Mobley and Allen were the primary reason they were so stingy on that end of the court. The Heat will probably feel the loss of PJ Tucker, but count them out at your own risk. Markkanen gave the Cavaliers size and shooting, but Mitchell is a far superior shooter and an elite on-ball creator. Defensively, the Cavaliers were dominant last season. Garland filling the point guard duties will allow Mitchell to do what he does best — get buckets. [20th out of 30 teams in offensive efficiency](http://nba.com/stats/teams/advanced/?sort=OFF_RATING&dir=-1&Season=2021-22&SeasonType=Regular%20Season) last season. Garland and Allen were both named All-Stars last season while Mobley finished second in Rookie of Year voting.

'They make me sick': How trade 'gamble' blew up in Knicks' face and exposed 'massive failure'

The Knicks felt with Mitchell aboard they could be a 47-win team and make a 10-win improvement. But they think he’s got a lot of room to get better.” … So once again we’re gonna go to another season and the New York Knicks are devoid of a star. Ironically, the Knicks passed on him in the 2108 draft, much like they whiffed on Mitchell in 2017. They’re somewhere other than in a New York Knicks uniform. “They had a deal with Cleveland that they just did, agreed to it. They will have two first-round picks in 2023 and 11 over the next seven years. We want to continue to build our team and culture around players like RJ who possess these values and qualities.” “At only 22 years old, he has elevated his game each season, solidifying himself as a force on both ends of the court. “They held back on best offers of picks and players and Danny got his three unprotected.” Do you want to top it?’ In their mind, when New York walked on Monday, that was it. It’s unknown if Rose made an offer with three unprotected first-round picks in a non-Barrett iteration.

With both Donovan Mitchell and Kevin Durant now off the trade market, the extension floodgates might soon open for the rest of the 2019 NBA draft class.

All odds via [FanDuel Sportsbook](https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nba). But with Mitchell and Durant no longer looming as potential trade targets, those conversations will likely heat up in the days and weeks to come. However, Knicks president of basketball operations Leon Rose "set a Monday night deadline with Utah to reach an agreement on a trade for Mitchell or the Knicks would commit to the Barrett extension," per Wojnarowski. Then again, the Nets reportedly set a sky-high asking price for Durant this offseason, one that no team was willing to meet. In that case, it's far easier to swallow giving a player such as Herro, Poole, Johnson or Hunter an extension and effectively removing them from trade talks until next offseason. The Knicks reportedly offered Evan Fournier, Obi Toppin, two unprotected first-round picks and three additional first-rounders, per [Charania and Jones](https://theathletic.com/3526628/2022/08/22/kevin-durant-donovan-mitchell-trade-talk-shams/), but the Jazz's asking price was "more significant than that." One week later, the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired Mitchell from the Utah Jazz [in a blockbuster trade](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34502825/sources-cleveland-cavaliers-trade-3-first-round-picks-two-swaps-utah-jazz-star-donovan-mitchell). 4 in 2019), John Collins and a draft pick to the Nets for Durant, according to [Shams Charania](https://theathletic.com/3526628/2022/08/22/kevin-durant-donovan-mitchell-trade-talk-shams/) of The Athletic. [Wojnarowski](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34174171/kevin-durant-requests-trade-brookyn-nets-sources-say). Devin Harris is the only player in league history to be traded while under that provision, according to ESPN's When a team extends a first-round pick's rookie-scale contract, he becomes subject to the poison-pill provision until the extension begins the following offseason. When Durant and Mitchell were still available, any interested suitors needed to maintain as much flexibility as possible for a potential trade.

Will a Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland backcourt take the Cavs to the next level? What's next for the Jazz? Our NBA Insiders break down the Mitchell ...

[Kyrie Irving](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/6442/kyrie-irving) and Harden) in the league hit last season. [Trae Young](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4277905/trae-young) and [Dejounte Murray](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3907497/dejounte-murray) in Atlanta. Ironically, the game is in Utah. Last season, the Cavaliers were 20th in offense and fifth in defense, and they essentially swapped Markkanen for Mitchell in terms of roster players from last season. The rebuild is on and the tanks are out now. It's a low-stress spot for a prospect who still hasn't been able to live up to his potential and find the consistency he needs in his game night after night. If [James Harden](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3992/james-harden) returns to the MVP version of himself, perhaps he and [Tyrese Maxey](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4431678/tyrese-maxey) get ahead of them, too. Because the Cavaliers signed Darius Garland to a designated rookie extension and acquired a player in Donovan Mitchell who signed the same extension in Utah, Mobley is not allowed to sign a five-year rookie max extension in the 2024 offseason. Marks: From an offensive standpoint, the combination of Mitchell and Garland is the best in the Eastern Conference. Are the Cavs a contender now that Mitchell is in Cleveland? Our insiders break down the implications of the deal between the Jazz and Cavs. Sexton will join the Jazz on a four-year, $72 million sign-and-trade deal, [according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski](/nba/story/_/id/34502825/sources-cleveland-cavaliers-trade-3-first-round-picks-two-swaps-utah-jazz-star-donovan-mitchell).

The Jazz officially entered full rebuild mode after sending All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell to the Cavaliers for Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, ...

But if the Spurs wanted to package their pick with the Hornets pick and one of Atlanta's future first-rounders, they could make an enticing deal to try and acquire the first overall pick next season. [that deal looks even better considering the state of affairs in Brooklyn](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/nets-future-draft-picks-kevin-durant-trade-request-rockets-james-harden/xckhkkk5wr7j1vmxlcg1dz2k), where Harden no longer plays. At the time, their return of three first-round picks and four first-round pick swaps already seemed like a great return for a player who no longer had an interest in playing for the franchise. It only took one offseason for him to completely blow up everything Utah previously had in place. Acquiring a combined seven first-round picks and two pick swaps in trades for those two All-Stars, the Jazz now have a serious war chest of draft capital to play with when it comes to making an offer to land next year's No. But the Thunder could get really reckless (shrewd?) and offer a trade that other franchises simply cannot match. I can't think of a better way to maximize their assets than packaging as many picks as it takes to ensure they land Wembanyama with the No. 1 pick, the team that finished with the worst record has yet to win the lottery. Without getting too lost in the weeds of protections, here's a closer look at the four leading contenders to land 2023's ultimate prize.e With all of that being said, it's no longer as simple as trying to tank your way to the No. In 2019, the Pelicans won the lottery with a long shot six percent chance. You could make an argument for Zion Williamson or Anthony Davis, but Wembanyama certainly has a case as the most-hyped NBA prospect since LeBron James.

Instead, the three-time All-Star was traded to the Cavaliers in a stunning deal ahead of the 2022-23 NBA season.

The Knicks even had the assets the Jazz " [preferred](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34502825/sources-cleveland-cavaliers-trade-3-first-round-picks-two-swaps-utah-jazz-star-donovan-mitchell)" in a trade. However, the Knicks weren't prepared to give up the slew of picks the Jazz were looking for and " [balked](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34502825/sources-cleveland-cavaliers-trade-3-first-round-picks-two-swaps-utah-jazz-star-donovan-mitchell)" on including Quentin Grimes in a trade with RJ Barrett. Again, Utah wanted more — one more unprotected pick, multiple draft swaps and possibly another young player, per Charania. [Did Cavaliers or Jazz win Donovan Mitchell trade?](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/donovan-mitchell-trade-grades-cavaliers-jazz/ocfrkgzxiaphqpdrs71aizeh) [According to Wojnarowski](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6giEYS9A_CU), the Jazz never called the Knicks back to give them a chance to top the Cavaliers' offer. Here's what we know. [revealed](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34502825/sources-cleveland-cavaliers-trade-3-first-round-picks-two-swaps-utah-jazz-star-donovan-mitchell) that the Knicks and Jazz discussed a deal in early July that would've included Barrett, Obi Toppin, Mitchell Robinson and three unprotected first-round picks.

Leon Rose and the New York Knicks held their ground … but then the Cleveland Cavaliers swooped in to make the deal they wouldn't.

He still has the pieces to trade for a star—though if he didn’t think Mitchell was one worth going all in for, he might find himself waiting a long time for a crack at one that is. [opened the door](https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1565428970073595904) for Cleveland—recently [considered out of the Mitchell sweepstakes](https://www.sny.tv/articles/knicks-cavaliers-leave-donovan-mitchell-trade-talks-update)—to step back in, make an offer, and [make Mitchell a Cavalier](https://www.theringer.com/nba/2022/9/1/23333511/donovan-mitchell-trade-cleveland-cavaliers). Rose still has the flexibility and optionality to pursue other moves—say, attaching a pick to move Randle or Fournier, thus opening up more minutes for Toppin or Grimes, and more on-ball opportunities for Brunson and Barrett; he also has a head coach who might challenge him to a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match if he makes them. 4 seed](https://www.theringer.com/nba/2021/4/23/22398160/new-york-knicks-julius-randle-rj-barrett-playoffs). And if, as many projected, the point of getting Mitchell in the door at MSG was to convince the next star (whoever that might be) to join him, would a Knicks team with its draft picks encumbered for the next half-decade, with $100 million devoted to the foursome of Mitchell, Randle, Brunson, and Robinson in 2023-24, and without the young players Utah would’ve taken for Mitchell still have enough in the cupboard to get such a deal done? And the prospect of changing that constitution returns us to that coach-vs.-front office question. [multiple](https://twitter.com/JakeLFischer/status/1565426561473552386) [reports](https://twitter.com/IanBegley/status/1565428402437476353), Rose ultimately wouldn’t offer more than two unprotected firsts in a deal [that featured Barrett](https://twitter.com/IanBegley/status/1565479573063622657). [last season’s top six](https://www.nba.com/standings), only Chicago seems like a decent bet to fall off. Would the resultant roster have a meaningful chance of competing for a championship—or, in a few years’ time, would the Knicks find themselves bumping up against the same good-but-not-great, second-round ceiling that Mitchell’s Jazz couldn’t break through? Maybe that would’ve been enough to get them into the next round of conversations for a star. When that deadline came and went, Rose stepped back from the bargaining table, [signed Barrett to a four-year, nine-figure contract extension](https://www.theringer.com/nba/2022/8/30/23329337/rj-barrett-extension-donovan-mitchell-new-york-knicks), and sat tight, confident that Jazz CEO Danny Ainge wouldn’t find a more palatable deal in the weeks leading up to training camp. You’d have to squint awfully hard to look at what would be left in New York after a blockbuster deal—a starting five of Mitchell, Brunson, Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, and whichever wing player was still left on the roster—and see a similar sort of contender.

The Utah Jazz accepting the Cleveland Cavaliers' offer for Donovan Mitchell was a blessing in disguise for the New York Knicks.

He could have easily given in to the pressure and fan expectations created by media narratives that suggested New York acquiring Mitchell was only a matter of time. [graded](https://www.nba.com/stats/players/spot-up/?SeasonType=Regular%20Season&sort=PLAYER_NAME&dir=1) in the 36th percentile as a spot-up player. 7 in the NBA in [usage](https://www.nba.com/stats/players/usage/?sort=USG_PCT&dir=-1&Season=2021-22&SeasonType=Regular%20Season) last year. [New York Post's Marc Berman](https://twitter.com/NYPost_Berman/status/1565448351805489155), the Knicks withheld Grimes from all offers. While Robinson is a shot-blocking machine and Barrett is an improved two-way player, it's difficult to picture a team defense that can rank in the tier with most contenders or serious playoff threats. Regardless of whoever the Knicks would have had to give up to get the 6'1" scoring guard, the roster's upside wouldn't have been close to Cleveland's with Mitchell.

Sixers forward Georges Niang reacted to his former teammate getting traded on Thursday.

[The Jazz sent Mitchell ](https://www.si.com/nba/76ers/news/donovan-mitchell-lands-in-sixers-conference-with-cavaliers)to the Cleveland Cavaliers. [Utah Jazz ](http://si.com/nba/jazz)could trade their star guard [Donovan Mitchell](https://www.si.com/search?query=donovan+mitchell), they finally found a trade suitor willing to part ways with a desired package. It took a while, but the Jazz finally found a package they liked. After sending Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah’s front office focused on dealing away Mitchell for a haul. [In exchange](https://www.si.com/nba/76ers/news/donovan-mitchell-trade-details-sixers-rival-cavaliers-strike), Utah landed Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, and Collin Sexton, who inked a brand new four-year deal in the process. [NBA](http://si.com/nba) fans and players, [Philadelphia 76ers](http://si.com/nba/76ers) veteran [Georges Niang](https://www.si.com/search?query=Georges+Niang) was on social media on Thursday afternoon checking out the league’s latest big move.

Though his expected destination was the New York Knicks, Mitchell wound up joining the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Ochai ...

As it stands, the Wizards roster consists of Beal, an injury-prone Kristaps Porzingis, Corey Kispert, rookie Johnny Davis and a collection of role players. With Bradley Beal’s massive new contract and the acquisition of Monte Morris and Will Barton this summer, it is clear the Wizards are aiming to compete now, and taking a big swing on Mitchell would have been a massive step toward competing. Though his expected destination was the New York Knicks, Mitchell wound up joining the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, three unprotected first-round picks and two pick swaps.

On Thursday afternoon, the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz in exchange for Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji and ...

Trading Rudy Gogbert and Donovan Mitchell does not seem like a smart move in terms of trying to win, but looking at the big picture and what this organization could look like in 2030, the Jazz are in good shape. That is an insane amount of talent and young assets for the Jazz to bring in at the start of their rebuild and they may not be done moving talent. When this opportunity presented itself to the Cavaliers, general manager Koby Altman saw a path in which they could not only acquire an All-Star, but create an All-Star “core-four” consisting of Mitchell, Garland, Allen and Mobley. Hitting the “restart button” right now gives Utah a big opportunity to end up with the No. What this trade came down to from Cleveland’s end of things is that opportunities like this do not always present themselves to teams like the Cavaliers. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Cleveland surprised the NBA with a blockbuster trade for the three-time All-Star.

[Royce O'Neale](/nba/players/1904267/royce-oneale/) deals, the Mitchell haul means that in this summer alone, Utah has now acquired seven unprotected first-round picks, one top-five protected first-rounder and two picks swaps. In one fell swoop, the Cavs set themselves up for both present and future success with three All-Stars (and one future All-Star) all under the age of 26. The Jazz reportedly wanted New York to swap Grimes for Quickley and/or remove the protections on the third future pick, so the deal collapsed and they moved on to Cleveland. On top of that, Utah added solid young players on friendly contracts in Sexton and Markkanen, who can either become part of the franchise's future or eventually be flipped for -- you guessed it -- more picks. When talks between New York and Utah hit an impasse (reportedly because the Knicks refused to include [Quentin Grimes](/nba/players/3042107/quentin-grimes/) in the deal), the Cavs pounced on the opportunity and positioned themselves as one of the most promising young teams in the NBA. [Darius Garland](/nba/players/3042335/darius-garland/) desperately needed help as the team's lone reliable initiator, evidenced by the Cavs' 20th-ranked offense last season, and Mitchell will immediately fill that gap. Sexton clearly had trouble coexisting with Garland in the 11 games he played last season and the Cavs had no interest in giving him the contract that Utah did, so he was essentially excised from the franchise's future plans. Each standing at 6-foot-1, Garland and Mitchell compose one of the smallest backcourts in the NBA, which will likely lead to some issues for a Cavs defense that was fifth in the league last season. Assuming health and growth for Cleveland's young stars, those unprotected first-round picks will likely be in the late teens or 20s -- not exactly the range where you're going to find an impact player for a team with deep playoff aspirations. [Kyrie Irving](/nba/players/1779901/kyrie-irving/) appears to be staying in Brooklyn. Mitchell was in better than the 80th percentile in both pick-and-roll and isolation scoring last season, according to Synergy Sports. [Kevin Durant](/nba/players/1231866/kevin-durant/) rescinded his trade request.

The NBA world reacts to things on Twitter now, and that includes the surpirse blockbuster trade seinding Donovan Mitchell to the Cavaliers.

[September 1, 2022] [ rumors that the Cavaliers had talked to Utah](https://nba.nbcsports.com/2022/08/24/reports-cavaliers-have-tested-waters-of-donovan-mitchell-trade/) about a [Donovan Mitchell](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30439/donovan-mitchell) trade, but league sources still saw the Knicks as the clear frontrunner. As it does, the NBA world reacts on Twitter, starting with Mitchell’s new teammates.

On paper, the Cavs are going to be one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference. They have a superstar, two rising stars, and one of the most underrated ...

In what was widely considered a “down” season for Mitchell last year, he still averaged 26 points, five assists, and four rebounds on 45 percent shooting from the field and 36 percent shooting from 3-point range. Not only will the Cavs improve as the season unravels, but there’s a chance we may be on the verge of seeing the best version of Mitchell ever. Oh, and they’re all under the age of 25.