Donovan Mitchell’s rookie season with the Cleveland Cavaliers couldn’t have gone much better.
Then came the playoffs and Cleveland was eliminated in the first round by the New York Knicks . And, if you recall, the Knicks were the most represented team in the Mitchell trade rumors last summer before Danny Ainge made the Cleveland deal.
While Mitchell hugged Cleveland with open arms and talked about his childhood as a Cavs fan, the general sentiment around the NBA—at least before the trade—was that Mitchell wanted to be a Knick. And, well, he’s not working hard to eliminate any lingering doubts.
“For Game 3 when we came out…the noise…the fans…When they did the anthem bruh? That shit was crazy. That shit was crazy; like when they did the anthem, I was like ‘Damn, this shit is jumping.’ Like I was geeked”
Mitchell admitted that he thought he would play for the Knicks at some point before the trade. It wouldn’t be surprising if the outcome of that series made him think about what once seemed likely. The Cavs have plenty of time to improve the roster and build a contender with Mitchell at the helm, but he’s a free agent in 2025. He’s not too far off. One can’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, he might consider making a break for the Knicks when the time comes.