Former New York Knicks general manager Scott Perry recently shed light on the team’s failed pursuit of NBA star Donovan Mitchell, citing the player’s perceived inability to carry a team single-handedly.
Perry’s remarks were reported by Stefan Bondy of the New York Post, indicating that the Knicks didn’t consider Mitchell to be capable of serving as the sole driving force of a franchise.
Reflecting on the Knicks’ efforts to secure Mitchell’s services, Perry emphasized that the deal had to be within reasonable parameters, hinting at Utah’s demanding trade requirements.
While acknowledging Mitchell’s exceptional talent and character, Perry emphasized the importance of evaluating a player’s ability to lead a team to playoff success.
“He was a good player but he needed more around him to win,” he said on The Hoop Genius podcast. “If he was that singular force, Utah probably would’ve been in the conference finals if he were that singular force. But he wasn’t that singular force. That’s not a criticism against him. That’s just an evaluation that you must make.”
Perry also highlighted the substantial cost involved in securing Mitchell’s services, suggesting that the Knicks had to consider the long-term implications of sacrificing significant young talent and draft assets for a single player.
He questioned whether the remaining team composition would have been strong enough to secure consistent victories or if patience and retention of existing assets would have been a more prudent approach.
Mitchell averaged 28.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 35.8 minutes per game during his first year in Cleveland.
