Utah Jazz: New York is a threat to snag Donovan Mitchell… in six years

The New York Knicks appear to be competitors in hopes to land Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell. The soonest that can happen, though, is in 2026.

Ever since the NBA suspended the 2019-20 season, the rumor mill has been super active for the Utah Jazz.

That’s exactly what it is, though — rumors. Donovan Mitchell, in particular, has been involved in a lot of trade scenarios, but that isn’t exactly realistic. He’s going to sign a five-year contract extension with the Jazz this summer and won’t hit free agency until after the 2025-26 season.

Fan bases such as New York and Los Angeles will comment on everything Donovan posts, preparing him for what they seem to think is destiny by writing things like “It’s time to come home!” or “Come join LeBron in LA!”

Those comments are premature, but New York is a team (and a market) that make sense for Mitchell when he does eventually become an unrestricted free agent. He’s from the state, he’ll have more eyes on him and the team is already making front office shuffles that could entice the 23-year-old.

First, the Knicks hired Leon Rose as president. Rose’s agency, CAA, represented Mitchell and the two developed a close relationship. The Knicks then hired Walt Perrin as Assistant General Manager. Perrin has spent the last 19 years in Utah and played a big role in Utah landing Mitchell in the 2017 NBA Draft.

The Knicks are in good hands with their upgraded front office, but they still have a lot of work to do on the court, especially if they hope to attract a star free agent like Mitchell.

New York hasn’t made the playoffs in seven years and has only made the playoffs five times in the past twenty years. After enjoying consistent success in the ’90s, the franchise has hit a long, difficult patch.

Time is on their side, though. They have a bunch of young talent featuring RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson, and an upcoming lottery pick. Whether they keep and groom that talent, or trade it for a star, they are clearly headed into the right direction.

The Donovan Mitchell to New York rumors isn’t going to stop anytime soon. Even when he signs the dotted line on his contract extension, fans will be counting the days until he becomes a free agent. His connections to the franchise are hard to ignore.

The Utah Jazz have team control over Donovan Mitchell. He’s going to be in Salt Lake City for many years, and it’s up to the Jazz to build a team capable of competing for a championship in order to keep him. Losing him like they did Gordon Hayward in 2017 would be crippling.

To any Utah Jazz fans that are nervous about the thought of losing Donovan Mitchell — try to understand that we are still so far away from anything really happening. He has a strong relationship with the Jazz and will be here for a long time.