Donovan Mitchell trade rumors: Danny Inge wants the Knicks to remove draft pick protection, per report

The New York KnicksHis interest in Donovan Mitchell has been well dated. Utah is open to trading Mitchell, but Danny Aing, who basically comes to these negotiations wearing a ski mask, is asking about the world. Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that New York offered the Jazz Obi Tobin, Evan Fournier, and a total of five future first-round draft picks for Mitchell (two unprotected and three protected), but Ainge wants more.

According to Mark Berman of the New York Post, Ainge wants four unprotected future picks in place of the two that New York is said to have offered. This is a big difference.

You might ask yourself whether it would be wise for the Knicks to ditch this kind of package for Mitchell. Really, how good would an asset-hungry team suddenly lead the small backyard Bronson Mitchell in a loaded East Conference?

The Knicks are said to think Mitchell is good for 10 more wins, but more than that, Berman stated that they “believe Bronson and Mitchell’s presence would motivate another superstar to join them.”

You see the puzzle. Nicks think Mitchell’s presence will impress another star to join the party, but the assets they’ll have to give up to get Mitchell will limit their ability to make another big move. They’re really trying to thread a needle here, and Ainge won’t make that easy.