Knicks: 3 reasons Mitchell trade hasn’t happened – Waiting on leverage
Ask any informed NBA fan, reporter, or analyst and they will likely tell you the same thing: Donovan Mitchell is going to be a member of the New York Knicks; it’s just a question of when. If the Jazz agree to a deal while everyone, including the Knicks, believes this, then they will be selling low because they lack the leverage to make the Knicks give up their best package.
Therefore, the Jazz have to increase their external leverage by attracting other suitors. That makes them the likely source of the reporting in the last week that other teams, such as the Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards, are interested in Mitchell. The more competition, the more the Knicks could be convinced to up their offer.
The trick is getting the Knicks to believe these other teams are truly interested. There is a realm of possibility where the Knicks cry wolf at these rumors, right up until the point that another team finally pushes some major chips into the middle and the Jazz say yes before the Knicks have time to respond.
The Jazz are therefore waiting for these rumors to be substantiated, for either an offer to come in or for the Knicks to finally believe these overtures from other teams are legitimate. Once they do, the Jazz regains
some of the leverage they have lost.