donovan-mitchell-getty-images-jazz.jpg
Getty Images

Back in July, the Utah Jazz, which is to say Danny Ainge, reportedly offered Donovan Mitchell to the New York Knicks in exchange for a whopping six future first-round draft picks plus Quentin GrimesImmanuel QuickleyObi Toppin and Miles McBride, but the Knicks "backed away" from the proposal. 

After that, talks, or at least the reporting of said talks, died down. Now they're apparently on again as The Athletic's Shams Charania and Tony Jones reported on Tuesday that the Knicks and Jazz have "re-engaged" in Mitchell trade discussions. No new proposals were reported on either side, and no deal is imminent. 

The Athletic also reported that the Hornets and Wizards have joined the Knicks in pursuit of a Mitchell trade. 

None of this is big news, but it's August. This sounds more like the Knicks and Jazz are returning to the office after a little summer vacation and they're simply getting back into the swing of business. 

We'll see how things progress as training camp draws closer. The Jazz are saying they're fine with keeping Mitchell and they're surely not going to give him away for anything short of a grand package; Mitchell has three years plus a player option remaining on his deal with Utah.

That said, the Jazz are clearly entering into a rebuild. Rudy Gobert and Royce O'Neale have been shipped out. It's hard to imagine Ainge giving up a chance to get in the running for a high-value pick in the 2023 draft to compete for a play-in spot with Mitchell. 

It remains likely, in my opinion, that a Mitchell trade gets done sooner than later. But my opinion doesn't matter. Only the fact, and these are the facts as they are being reported at the moment.