Donovan Mitchell was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in one of the last big moves of the NBA offseason. For much of the summer, however, rumors were prominently linking him to the New York Knicks instead.
Mitchell was formally introduced by the Cavaliers on Wednesday, and was interviewed by ESPN’s Brian Windhorst during his availability. Windhorst asked Mitchell how close the guard felt he had come to being a Knick, and Mitchell had an intriguing response.
“Very close. I won’t say more than that, but I know a little bit more than most, but definitely very close,” Mitchell said. “It didn’t happen, and God has a plan for everything.”
Mitchell added that even he expected to go to the Knicks as the rumors intensified.
“You had heard different teams, different names, but ultimately I think, like you said, it wasn’t so much as a rumor, it was more like alright, this will just happen, it’s a matter of when,” Mitchell said. “That’s what everybody thought. So I was like, alright, that’s probably what’s going to be. It didn’t happen, and I’m not sad about it. I’m ready to go.”
Points to Mitchell for honesty, but his remarks will only spark more curiosity over what happened and why the Knicks were ultimately unsuccessful in getting him. Mitchell grew up in New York, and most felt the Knicks would find a way to bring him home from Utah. There has been a lot of talk about why this did not happen, including some contradictory rumors.
Mitchell seems relaxed with his situation, and he is moving to a possible contender. He has no real reason to be bothered by the outcome, no matter what he was ultimately hoping for.
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