Onto the Next One: Could Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Help Knicks More Than Donovan Mitchell?

The Knicks will look to pick up the pieces after Utah sent Mitchell to Cleveland.

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The cogs in the New York Knicks' transactional machine never stop, even when they're on the losing end of one of the tougher trade upsets in recent NBA memory. 

With Donovan Mitchell out of the question, the Knicks are reportedly already on the hunt for the next dissatisfied star to join their fold. Marc Berman of the New York Post suggests that Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could become the new Mitchell as the 2022-23 season looms.

While he lacks the name-brand recognition of Mitchell, Gilgeous-Alexander might be an even better fit than the newly minted Cleveland Cavalier ever was: for one thing, he's set to share a special international bond with fellow Ontario native (and recent extension earner) RJ Barrett, as the two were recently called upon to be long-term members of Canada's national basketball team.

Additionally, Oklahoma City's ongoing rebuild (as opposed to Utah's, which is in its earliest stages) could be the perfect place for the Knicks to peddle their draft pick surplus: the Thunder might've been on pace to finally start reaping the benefits of what's been a two-year rebuild so far, but June's second overall pick Chet Holmgren will miss the entire season with a Lisfranc injury sustained in a pro-am showcase. Gilgeous-Alexander's arrival, in fact, was one of the headlining moves of the rebuild's partial commencement, as he came over the trade that sent Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2020.

Despite the Thunder's struggles (consecutive second-to-last place finishes in the Western Conference), Gilgeous-Alexander has come into his own, averaging 24.2 points over the last two seasons, when he's been the Thunder's top attraction. If the Thunder once again falls out of Play-In Tournament contention early on, the Knicks will likely try to pounce.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags