Donovan Mitchell Re-Opens Path to New York Knicks Trade?

Despite Dan Gilbert's confidence, longtime New York Knicks target Donovan Mitchell still doesn't appear sold on his long-term future with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Nov 1, 2023; New York, New York, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) controls the / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

They might never end up together, and yet Donovan Mitchell and the New York Knicks keep finding their way into each other's hypothetical arms.

The Knicks' rumored pursuit of Mitchell seemed to hit a dead end when Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert offered public confidence in the idea that his team would be able to ink five-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell to a long-term contract. Mitchell, however, didn't sound so willing to make a commitment as he prepared to return to action for the Cavs entering last weekend.

“I think the biggest thing for me ... my focus is I’ve got a lot of things to focus on outside of that (contract negotiation) right now,” Mitchell said, per Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. “I’ve got to focus on myself, getting back for this group, focus on us getting over this stretch, continuing to be ready when it comes time.

Nov 1, 2023; New York, New York, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) controls the / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

"I’ll handle that when it comes and I understand you have to ask that question," he continued. I’ll give you the same answer.”

Mitchell and the Knicks have long been paired in basketball fan fiction, many citing Mitchell's connection to president Leon Rose's Creative Artists Agency and the fact he hails from Westchester County. The saga seemed to end when Gilbert and the Cavs abided to the Utah Jazz's sizable demands during the summer of 2022 but Mitchell's lack of a long-term deal this time around has re-spun the rumor mill.

Further frustration awaited Mitchell as he returned from a six-game injury-induced absence over the weekend. Cleveland won his first game back on Friday over Phoenix but dropped a 29-point game in Denver on Sunday late afternoon. Mitchell has struggled in the last two games, shooting just 28 percent from the field, including a 3-of-12 outing against the defending champion Nuggets.

"It can't happen. We can all point to s---," Mitchell said of Sunday's loss, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. "It's April. It's f-----g April. We've got to figure it out and we will."

Cleveland got back to the postseason with Mitchell in tow last season but were ironically ousted in a five-game first-round set with the Knicks. The Cavs currently hold the third seed on the Eastern Conference playoff bracket, a half-game ahead of the fourth-place Knicks, even though they've lost eight of their last dozen. Considering Cleveland's struggles to hang with the East's finest, this postseason could go a long way in officially deciding his future in wine and gold.