What did Charles Barkley reveal about the Knicks failed trade attempt for Donovan Mitchell?

Donovan Mitchell is now on the roster of the Cleveland Cavaliers, but the monumental deal that that brought him there is just the half of it. With the Knicks seemingly a hair’s breath away from landing the star, we take a look at what really happened according to Charles Barkley.

Charles Barkley has ‘inside info’ on Donovan Mitchell’s failed Knicks move

When the news confirmed that the Utah Jazz had traded Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers, it’s safe to say that the players, coaches and fans of the NBA were left wondering just how it all happened. After all, this was a player who was for starters, the focal point of a Jazz team that was the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference just two seasons ago. Clearly, that’s not the case now. Then we had the New York Knicks, a team widely considered to be the next place in which Mitchell would play. In the end, the Cavs are now legitimate contenders in the Eaatern Conference and the Knicks and their fans are left to wonder about what could have been.

Interestingly, despite various reports that suggested that suggested the Knicks had offered RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin, Mitchell Robinson and three unprotected first-round picks, and that the Knicks most recently refused to include 22-year-old guard Quentin Grimes in their offer, the reality is this: a deal wasn’t done. That’s something that Hall of Famer and current TNT NBA analyst Charles Barkley says he has “inside information” on from the mouth of Knicks senior executive William Wesley AKA. ‘World Wide Wes.’ Indeed, Barkley claims that Wesley told him that the Jazz wanted a great deal more than what was reported. “I’m gonna give you inside information. I actually had this conversation last night with World Wide Wes at dinner,” Barkley said. “I said, Wes, why didn’t y’all make the trade? He says, ‘Oh man. Don’t go by the media stuff. [The Jazz] wanted my wife, my kids.’ ...He says, ‘We wanted the deal, obviously,’ but he said, ‘They wanted my wife, they wanted my kids, they wanted my grandkids. They were just trying to rip somebody off.’ So he says, ‘Dude, we’re gonna have to pass on it.’ And I give those guys credit, because you can’t give away everything.”

Are the Knicks just saving face?

Let’s be clear, as is the case with any dispute, there are the sides of the parties involved and then there is the actual truth. It goes without saying, that given the caliber of player in question and the Knicks failure to get a deal over the line, the franchise would immediately seek to protect its own image, preferring instead to paint a picture of exorbitant demands on the part of the Jazz. On the other hand, Barkley’s claims do speak to the murky waters that can exist between what is reported and what is reality. Reports previously stated that the Jazz were willing to let Mitchell go in exchange for Barrett, Grimes and three first-round picks.

If were honest, that’s not a big ask for a player of Mitchell’s obvious worth. Yet, we must mention the fact that we have no concept as to what was said between the two parties behind closed doors. In the end, the Knicks let us all know what their thinking was when they extended Barrett. The Jazz then followed suit by making moves with the Cavs and here we are. If nothing else, Barkley hits the nail on the head by stating that the Knicks held their ground. The question that now remains is whether or not they will benefit from their decision or not. In the meantime, the Cavs will be liking their chances with their new player.