Before the 2022-23 NBA season got underway, the Utah Jazz decided it was time to start from scratch and traded their two best players, Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert.
Gobert was sent to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a massive deal, which could go down as one of the worst in NBA history, as it has been a disaster for the international star and the team.
As for Mitchell, all signs pointed to the Jazz getting a deal done to send him to his hometown New York Knicks in a similar blockbuster deal.
It seemed like a foregone conclusion Mitchell would end up in New York, but out of nowhere, the Cleveland Cavaliers traded for him and got their franchise back on track while leaving Knicks fans livid that the team couldn’t get it done.
After Sunday’s Game 4 win over the Cavaliers, Knicks fans are singing a different tune after Mitchell struggled and New York sporting a 3-1 series lead.
Donovan Mitchell in the Mecca Game 4:
😶🌫️ 11 points
😶🌫️ 5-18 shooting
😶🌫️ 0-4 three
😶🌫️ 6 turnovers pic.twitter.com/TJ3ynTTQGI— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) April 23, 2023
Here are some fan reactions to Mitchell’s forgettable performance in Game 4 against the Knicks in New York:
The Hart effect. Grimes wouldn’t have held him to that.
— 𝓛𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓛𝓮𝓰𝓪𝓬𝔂 (@LatinLegacy) April 23, 2023
so glad the knicks didn’t trade for this dude
— jake (@JakeSt00pid) April 23, 2023
He’s going to try and go nuclear in game 5. Knicks gotta come out swinging
— KC Smooth (@KayCSmooth) April 23, 2023
he’s never coming to the knicks now
— my mom found my old account (@burnertweetwe) April 23, 2023
Knicks fans are relieved they’ve got Jalen Brunson running the show alongside Julius Randle rather than Mitchell.
This first-round playoff series isn’t over, and it’s only been one season since the trade, but New York is sitting pretty as they have Cleveland and Mitchell at the brink of elimination.
It’ll be interesting to see if the Cavaliers can make it a series with a win in Game 5 or if the Knicks are simply the better team and destined to move on to face the Miami Heat or Milwaukee Bucks.
NEXT:
The Cavs Had An Embarrassing Stat In Friday’s Loss
