Should the New York Knicks will pull the trigger for a Donovan Mitchell trade, head coach Tom Thibodeaue would rather keep another young player over RJ Barrett.

Sources told Marc Berman of the New York Post that Thibodeau would prefer to place Barrett in a potential deal with the Jazz while keeping off Quentin Grimes on the table – on whom he believes a much better defender and shooter from the outside.

But Utah lead executive Danny Ainge holds a high regard for Grimes and views him as a valuable future piece of the franchise. As such, a Mitchell deal may not likely to happen if they’ll cling to these desires of Thibodeau.

As reported by Berman, both Knicks and the Jazz have rekindled their trade talks, but the former remains cautious of giving up major assets of future picks as it will lessen their capital to improve as an Eastern Conference contender. 

It remains uncertain on how the Knicks will be able to pull a trade to gain Mitchel, given that they have reluctance on letting go of either their future selections or Grimes.

Both Barrett and Grimes are at 22 years of age. While Barrett looks much better due to his reputation as a starter swingman and former lottery pick in the 2020 Draft, Grimes also has special traits and an untapped potential that is considerable enough for a near-rebuilding team like the Jazz. 

Averaging 6.0 points, 2.0 boards and an assist for 46 games in his rookie year, a probable landing in Utah will allow Grimes to expand his game further.