The Utah Jazz and New York Knicks have reportedly "started discussions on a Donovan Mitchell trade," sources confirmed to Shams Charania and Tony Jones of the Athletic on Wednesday night.
The Jazz have reportedly had conversations with multiple teams regarding a potential trade centered around the multi-time All-Star guard over the last few days, including the Knicks, who Jones initially reported were expected "to quickly try and put together a package" on Tuesday.
The Athletic reports that both teams have "discussed a deal framework in the past 24 hours," according to sources with knowledge of the situation.
New York currently possesses eight future first-round picks -- including four of their own and four acquired in past trades -- as well as several young players, including guard Quentin Grimes, who is believed to be a player Utah is interested in acquiring, sources confirmed to The Athletic.
On Tuesday, Jones reported that the Jazz have "sky high" expectations regarding possible trade offers for Mitchell and were "not close to" having a trade completed, however, specified that the Knicks, who have long been reported to be targeting the New York native, "are the team that has the assets to make this a conversation."
The Knicks recently acquired multiple future draft picks during the 2022 NBA Draft -- along with several other picks acquired via past trades -- in order to free up cap space and sign free agent guard Jalen Brunson earlier this month.
Utah's reported consideration of a deal involving Mitchell comes 11 days after the franchise traded three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
"Let’s be clear about this: the Jazz are currently not close to a Donovan Mitchell trade," Jones tweeted on Tuesday. "And much like Gobert, they have no issues whatsoever in keeping him. Either a team is going to meet the bar to make this a convo, or he will be with the Jazz. They are not giving him away."
Mitchell was selected by the Jazz at No. 13 overall -- five picks after the Knicks selected Frank Ntilikina at No. 8 overall -- in the 2017 NBA Draft.
The 25-year-old has emerged as one of the NBA's top guards, having been selected to the All-Star Game during each of the past three seasons, while averaging 23.9 points, 4.5 assists, and 4.2 rebounds for his five-year career.
Mitchell averaged 25.9 points -- just 0.5 less than his career-best scoring average (26.4) the previous season -- and a career-high 5.3 steals and 1.5 assists, as well as 4.2 rebounds -- just 0.2 shy of his career-best totals (4.4) for the past two previous seasons -- during the 2021-22 season.
The Jazz were eliminated during the first round of the NBA playoffs for the third time in four seasons in April.
Utah had already lost forward Royce O'Neale to the Brooklyn Nets at the beginning of free agency on June 30 prior to the trade involving Gobert earlier this month.
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