Jalen Brunson Reacts to Knicks' Donovan Mitchell Rumors
Five games was enough for the New York Knicks to physically eliminate Donovan Mitchell's team. The metropolitan gossip around the four-time All-Star, however, has proven far more durable.
This summer is a drastically more peaceful affair for the Knicks than last year's, which was rife with rumors about Mitchell's future. Despite the Knicks standing as the publicly accepted favorites (thanks in part to his biographical connections to the Empire State), it was the Cleveland Cavaliers that wound up ending his five-year tenure with the Utah Jazz.
Many lampooned the Knicks for missing out on what was viewed as a surefire union but New York earned the last laugh when it conquered Cleveland in the opening round, giving the franchise its postseason series victory since 2013.
Mitchell's reported reluctance to sign a long-term deal with the Cavs has re-opened the debate about his fit in New York. While similarly skilled and sized to the Knicks' $104 million man, some have already dreamed of matching two of the NBA's younger rising talents collaborating on Madison Square Garden hardwood.
True to metropolitan form, Brunson offered an efficient response when asked about the rumors as he continued to work with the United States' men's national basketball team in preparation for the FIBA Basketball World Cup. It was one that acknowledged his long-standing relationship with Mitchell while praising the current crop of Knicks, a group mostly retained in a relatively sleepy offseason.
"It’s impossible not to see things, rumors, and all the stuff that comes up on Twitter, and all that stuff every single day is always on TV,” Brunson said, per Joe Vardon of The Athletic. “There (are) always possibilities when you hear about that stuff. Donovan is a good friend of mine for a while. We were in the same high school class, our relationship goes back a long way. I think right now, I’m more than happy with my guys, and I love my teammates.”
Those "guys" now include another familiar face, as the major import of the Knicks' offseason has been former Villanova University teammate Donte DiVincenzo. The pair collaborated on a pair of national title runs in Philadelphia before hearing their names called at the 2018 NBA Draft.
Brunson has been developing victorious relationships on all sides of the hardwood ... and the globe. After serving as the headliner for the Knicks' most successful season in a decade, Brunson brought a ring to New York through his wedding to high school sweetheart Ali Marks. The newlyweds staged their ceremony with plenty of New York representation in attendance amidst a late shift brought about by Brunson's invite to Team USA's World Cup bid.
Currently working through his first experience with the senior American team alongside collegiate and professional teammate Josh Hart, Burnson has been a major factor behind what's been a perfect start to Team USA's five-game tune-up slate. He hauled in a dozen rebounds in last week's win over Puerto Rico in Las Vegas and was a perfect 9-of-9 from the en route to 21 points in Sunday's win over defending World Cup champion Spain in Malaga.
Brunson and the Americans face two more exhibitions in Abu Dhabi before World Cup play tips off in Pasay next week. The first lands on Friday against Greece (12 p.m. ET, FS1).
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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