Reading Tea Leaves: Jazz, Knicks Close on Donovan Mitchell Trade?

Utah Jazz GM Danny Ainge is trying to put up smokescreens, but we're seeing directly through them.

If you've kept up with Utah Jazz GM Danny Ainge from his Boston Celtics days, you know he's capable of making some great roster moves ... but you also he's also capable of being one of the biggest smoke blowers in the league as well.

When it comes to latest reports on a potential trade for Jazz star Donovan Mitchell, are there really "mystery teams" out there with offers Ainge likes better than the New York Knicks' offer? Perhaps, but it could also simply be a leverage play in an attempt to get the Knicks to inch closer to satisfying Utah's hefty asking price for Mitchell.

According to a report from the NY Post's Marc Berman, Ainge is "telling confidants two other teams have made offers he likes."

As profound as that sounds, it's telling that Utah hasn't pounced on any of these other offers it apparently likes. That's because everyone, including Ainge, knows the Knicks present the best opportunity for the Jazz to maximize their trade return – not only due to the amount of picks the Knicks have available, but also because of the unique motivation they have to trade for Mitchell.

All of the recent reporting insists that a deal between the Jazz and Knicks isn't imminent, but if you squint hard enough and read the tea leaves, you can see how a deal could happen before we get to training camp next month.

"According to a recent proposal, courtesy of Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Knicks offered Obi Toppin, Evan Fournier, cash, two unprotected first-round picks and three protected for a total of five," wrote Berman.

"The Jazz declined. A source told The Post Ainge is after four unprotected first-round picks — not just two. That’s no small gap."

Isn't it, though? Who is to say a deal doesn't get done if the Knicks come back to the negotiating table and meet Ainge halfway with three unprotected picks instead of four?

To acquire a young star-level player who still has four years remaining on his contract, any team will have to make a massive offer. The Knicks know this, but they also probably know not to outbid themselves too. Ainge might have other offers he "likes," but it's obvious that the Jazz and Knicks are destined to make this trade happen – it's just a matter of which side will blink one more time.

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You can follow Dalton Trigg on Twitter at @dalton_trigg

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