Should Donovan Mitchell be on the Knicks’ Christmas list?

For NBA fans, it’s truly the most wonderful time of the year. It’s at Christmas when things typically really begin to get interesting. The doldrums of the early part of the schedule are now over (and this includes the silly in-season tournament) and teams are starting to round into form.

For Knicks’ fans, a 16-11 record going into Christmas weekend may not seem like a sports car with one of those giant red bows on it, but it’s certainly better than a pair of socks. The team went 3-2 on their recent road trip and looked particularly impressive against Phoenix and the Lakers. And this was without injured starting center Mitchell Robinson, who now could be out for the season.

While the Knicks may be playing their best basketball right now, it’s extremely wishful thinking to say that they are amongst the elite of the Eastern Conference. In fact, against the top two teams – Boston and Milwaukee – the Knicks are 0-5.

For years now, the general consensus has been that the Knicks are in need of a top-tier player to get them over the hump. A name that continually comes up is Donovan Mitchell, the star guard on the Cleveland Cavaliers. In fact, when he was traded from Utah in the summer of 2021, he was certain he was headed back to his home state to play for the Knicks. With the trade deadline less than two months away, speculation will only continue to percolate that he could be moved, and possibly moved to New York.

If the Knicks believe that Mitchell makes them a title contender this season, the question then becomes who do they give up for him? RJ Barrett is the player often mentioned in connection to Mitchell, and perhaps he and a couple of draft picks would be enough to make Cleveland pull the trigger. It only makes sense, however, to give up a solid player and valuable assets if the Knicks can sign Mitchell to a long-term deal.

Another thing to consider is whether the Knicks should even be pursuing a guard, even one as great as Mitchell. Burgeoning star Immanuel Quickley is one of the best bench players in the league, and it may only be a matter of time before he starts.

Then there’s the frontcourt issue. With Robinson out and backup Jerico Sims also injured, the team is woefully thin up front. If they do make a trade, the smarter move could be to go after a big man like Andre Drummond.