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The New York Knicks may have signed RJ Barrett to an extension, but that doesn't mean their pursuit of Donovan Mitchell is over. If anything, it could probably turn the focus of the negotiations with the Utah Jazz on picks and the other young players of the team.
According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, league sources have told him that the Knicks are still very much in the race for Mitchell. After all, only the availability of Barrett has been removed. Not to mention that the Jazz don't have much options as well given their high asking price.
“There is no place for Donovan Mitchell to go at this time. The Knicks can still get him,” a source told Berman.
To be fair, this isn't a surprising turn of events given that it has been widely reported that the Jazz couldn't care less about the players that the Knicks include in any deal for Donovan Mitchell.
The biggest deterrent in the Mitchell trade talks has been the number of unprotected first round picks New York is willing to give and Utah is going to accept. The Knicks have reportedly made an offer that included two unprotected first rounders, but the Jazz wanted four.
Now that RJ Barrett is unavailable, it'll be interesting to see if the Jazz will use it as a negotiation point to get more picks. The Knicks have plenty of other young assets like Obi Toppin, Quentin Grimes and Immanuel Quickley that they can discuss in a deal with Utah, though.
