Donovan Mitchell Rumors: 'It's an Open Secret That the Knicks Are Targeting' Jazz SG

Donovan Mitchell is under contract through at least the 2024-25 season, but that hasn't stopped speculation he may force his way out of Utah if the Jazz's playoff hopes go awry.

Steve Popper of Newsday reported "it's an open secret that the [New York] Knicks are targeting" the All-Star guard.

The fact that tensions have existed between Mitchell and Rudy Gobert is no secret. The two had a falling out at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic—one that led to a report by The Athletic that their relationship was "unsalvageable." Jazz players felt Gobert was "careless" regarding the virus, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

While the pair worked behind the scenes to repair their rift and responded with a sterling 2020-21 regular season, the Jazz once again faltered in the playoffs. The team has not made it past the second round of the playoffs with Mitchell and Gobert on the roster.

The mounting pressure of a deep playoff push has seemingly led to the fissures in the relationship reopening. Gobert seemingly threw Mitchell's defensive effort under the bus in January while praising other star guards around the league, a quote that clearly bothered Mitchell based on his social media activity and response afterward.

“I think we all as a group find ways to hold each other accountable, that’s just his way about it, I guess,” Mitchell told reporters at the time. “I’m not really concerned about it. At the end of the day, we’ve got to all find ways to get better, that’s really it. We all have individual ways of doing it, and his just happens to be this way.”

If Mitchell's long-term NBA goals include winning championships, it's hard to see how a move to New York would make that more likely. The Knicks had a one-season renaissance in 2020-21 before reverting back to their disappointing ways and have been rife with dysfunction throughout this season.

Mitchell could wind up looking for a Utah exit, but the only things tying him to the Knicks are his New York roots and a loose affiliation to team president Leon Rose through CAA. Rose was a prominent agent at the agency before leaving for the Knicks, though he never represented Mitchell.

If the Knicks' affection for Mitchell winds up being mutual, it'll be more for personal reasons than basketball ones.