New York Knicks reportedly do not plan a “all-out pursuit” of Donovan Mitchell

The New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors made the league’s first big trade of the 2023-24 season last week with O.G. Anunoby going to New York and Immanuel Quickley and R.J. Barrett going to Toronto.

The Knicks, meanwhile, do not appear to pursue another big trade right now by going after Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell. Who, of course, they almost traded for before the 2022-23 season and who many in the league think wants to be in New York at some point. This is from NBA insider Marc Stein ($):

Initial indications are that the Knicks do not intend to mount an all-out pursuit of Donovan Mitchell. The Cleveland Cavaliers, for that matter, signaled to rival teams throughout December that they aren’t prepared to entertain Mitchell overtures anyway.

This is not the first time it’s been reported that the Cavs don’t have any interest in entertaining Mitchell trades; ESPN’s Zach Lowe, among others, have reported the same information.

It’s also fair to wonder how inclined the Cavs would be to take a package from the Knicks anyway, in-season or otherwise, unless it is an “all-out pursuit’ kind of offer. (Which is the kind of offer the Knicks didn’t make to the Utah Jazz in the first place, which is how Mitchell ended up in Cleveland at all.) Quickley would have been an attractive piece to get back and Barrett perhaps would’ve been a more palatable salary piece in the deal vs. an Evan Fournier or Julius Randle.

Maybe all of this changes in the summer. A lot will happen basketball-wise between now and then. What Mitchell wants should be more clear by then too based on whether or not he signs an extension with Cleveland or not. But right now, it does not feel like there’s a Mitchell Knicks trade coming by February’s trade deadline. It does not feel like it’s on the table at all.