Negotiations between the Utah Jazz and New York Knicks have stalled in recent weeks. Neither team wants to concede to the other in trade talks, so things have hit a bit of an impasse, leading to the Jazz searching out other deals around the NBA.
The two sides are likely to return to the negotiating table at some point as they are a good fit for each other. Utah is looking to rebuild and wants as many draft picks and young players as possible in a trade for Donovan Mitchell. New York, in a seemingly never-ending quest for a star player, would love to add Mitchell and has the draft capital and young players to pull off a deal.
There have been some rumors swirling about exactly what the Jazz are looking for. Some reports have stated that they want as many as six of the eight first-round picks that the Knicks have available to trade. In addition to that, they are seeking multiple young players.
That is something that Leon Rose and the Knicks have balked at. They are not willing to part ways with both; it will be draft capital-centric or player-centric. New York is hoping to hold onto as many assets as possible to set themselves up to make a run at another superstar in the near future.
One player that is reportedly holding up trade talks is Quentin Grimes. He is the one player that the Jazz wants to have included in the deal, while the Knicks do not want to include him.
“The No. 1 player that the Jazz want in the deal is Quentin Grimes (and) I get the sense that the Jazz are really hesitant to do a deal that doesn’t have Quentin Grimes in it,” Jones said in an interview with ESPN 700 (KALL). “The one player that (the Knicks) are trying not to put in the deal is Quentin Grimes. They don’t want Quentin Grimes in the deal under any circumstance.”
The 2021 first-round pick was a revelation for the Knicks as a rookie, forcing his way into the rotation with his two-way play as a strong, multi-positional defender and very good 3-point shooter. This year in Summer League, he showed some improved playmaking and shot creation as well.
Having an undersized backcourt, which the Knicks would possess pairing Mitchell with point guard Jalen Brunson, would make having a player of Grimes’ caliber that much more important. He would provide the team with some much-needed size in the backcourt and on the wings.
The Utah Jazz and New York Knicks are a good match, but neither side is willing to budge from their current stance. Expect negotiations to continue up until training camp as each side will wait for the other to blink.
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