The New York Knicks landed a player they have been after for a long time in OG Anunoby on Saturday by completing a trade with the Toronto Raptors, and another name they have been connected to over the last few years is Donovan Mitchell, going back to before he was traded from the Utah Jazz to the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, it seems unlikely that Donovan Mitchell will be pursued heavily by the Knicks ahead of this year's trade deadline, according to Marc Stein.

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

The Knicks came close to acquiring Donovan Mitchell from the Jazz during the summer of 2022, but the teams did not finalize. a trade, leading to him eventually going to the Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers have Mitchell under contract through the 2024-2025 season, and there is a player option for 2025-2026. So there is no obligation to trade Mitchell now, especially with the team at 18-14 overall and sixth in the Eastern Conference. Despite being ravaged by injuries, Cleveland has figured things out a bit and is firmly in playoff contention. It would likely take a lot of losing for them to consider trading Mitchell ahead of this deadline.

For the Knicks, a team that has expressed interest in Mitchell in the past, it seems they might have to wait for at least this summer when it comes to any trade possibilities.