“Donovan Mitchell is a stud” - NBA analyst says he’s tired of people not treating "Spida" like a star, believes the Knicks should offer 4-5 picks for him

Donovan Mitchell is one of the league's best young stars, and ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith is tired of people questioning Mitchell's talents.

The Utah Jazz aren't done making offseason moves. After moving their All-Star center Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a ton of picks and some role players, the Jazz are looking to do the same with Mitchell.

The blockbuster trade that sent the French big man to the Wolves was a huge surprise to most NBA fans. The man behind it was CEO of basketball operations Danny Ainge. Ainge has a track record of conducting blockbuster transactions that work generously in his team's favor. He did it when they traded with the Philadelphia 76ers to draft Jayson Tatum when he was with the Boston Celtics.

Recently, the Jazz have been open again to the idea of trading their three-time All-Star. One of the most interested teams is the New York Knicks. New York is trying to get back into postseason action, and having Mitchell will help a lot. Smith, a Knicks fan, talked about why the Knicks should pursue Mitchell.

"Donovan Mitchell is a star. I'm tired of people talking about him like he's not." Smith said. "Donovan Mitchell is stud. When I think about Donovan Mitchell, I think about a stud, who's a star, who is somebody that the New York Knicks franchise desperately needs, period.

"I would not give up more than five picks for him. The Knicks have eight in the next seven years. I'd give up four, five for him."

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The Knicks could use a star like Donovan Mitchell

Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell

It's been years since the Knicks have had a legitimate star on their roster. Of course, they have Julius Randle, but he hasn't been the consistent star they thought he'd be,

The Knicks need a star like Mitchell, someone who has proven he can step up big time whenever necessary. The undersized athletic guard has shown how good he has been since his rookie season. Fun fact, he's never averaged under 20 points per game in his five-year career. What's even more impressive is that he kicks it up a notch during the playoffs.

Throughout his playoff career, he has managed to average more than 30 points per game on back-to-back postseason runs. He did it in the 2020 and 2021 playoffs.

There's no doubt that he's got what it takes to lead a team. He's done it for four years, and in the tough Western Conference. Trading for him should be a no-brainer for the Knicks. Pairing him with Jalen Brunson could spark a resurgence in the franchise which has been starving for postseason action. New York just has to be careful in not giving away their future for Mitchell, though.