A little over two years ago, the Utah Jazz were making the New York Knicks sing the blues. But it turns out that avoiding the “Spida” network might just be one of the best things to happen to the franchise.

The world of basketball is quietly but thoughtfully acknowledging the second anniversary of one of the most momentous trades in recent memory, the one that sent Donovan Mitchell from Salt Lake City to Cleveland, where the hometown Cavaliers were about to contend.

At the time of the Sept. 1, 2022 trade, many, including Mitchell himself, seemed to think a new tone awaited Manhattan: The Knicks brand maintained a frequent prescience in the rumor mill, as did that of the Empire State itself, given Mitchell’s status as a native of Elmsford, New York, and the son of Donovan Sr., a longtime New York Mets presence.

However, Knicks management reportedly balked at including their young homegrown talent in the deal (i.e. RJ Barrett, Quentin Grimes) and backed out of the proceedings, allowing the Cavs to go after ultimate target Leon Rose.

Donovan Mitchell

November 1, 2023; New York, New York, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) controls the ball against New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) and guard Quentin Grimes (6) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

In the aftermath of Cleveland’s masterstroke, many criticized the Knicks for not making the necessary sacrifices for the superstar they were supposed to be looking for. Others saw the long offseason of preparation, which more or less highlighted newcomer Jalen Brunson, as doomed and another sign of the continued dilution of the Knicks brand, where big offseason projects often give way to more modest solutions. Mentions, and even posts, from Knicks fans frequently featured a derogatory meme of team president Leon Rose sleeping, a sign of the times in Manhattan basketball.

But sometimes a good night’s sleep is the first step to becoming healthier.

Two years later, it’s hard to deny that Knicks victory, because the inactivity paved the way for the most rewarding exercise of all. Set aside the Knicks’ 4-1 win over Mitchell and the Cavaliers in the first round of the 2023 playoffs, as sweet as that was. By letting go of Mitchell, the Knicks got immediate and future relief from their headaches.

Consider where the Cavaliers are heading into the 2022-23 campaign: The team has vastly overachieved, winning 44 games despite each of its top four scorers being no older than 24. The play-in tournament denied them immediate playoff glory, but the Cavs were nonetheless armed with one of the NBA’s brightest futures.

But patience is a virtue, and Cleveland forgot it at a crucial moment: By trading for Mitchell (sacrificing a good chunk of that young talent and a good number of first-round picks), the Cavaliers accelerated their rebuild and took on a heavier weight of expectations… expectations that have yet to be truly met.

Mitchell’s arrival was supposed to give Cleveland a spot atop the Eastern Conference, but the Cavs were forced to settle for two fourth-place finishes. The team was little match for the dictatorial Boston Celtics, losing quickly in a five-game series that was never really in doubt.

The Knicks Cavaliers

April 26, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) defends New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) in the third quarter during Game 5 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images / David Richard-Imagn Images

Sure, Mitchell missed two games of the series due to injuries, but it was nonetheless a damning barometer of Cleveland’s current standing in the Eastern Conference landscape. Lured by a return to some form of competition (as well as its first playoff win without LeBron James since the heyday of “The Drew Carey Show”), Cleveland opened its wallet to Mitchell once again, handing him a three-year, $150.3 million contract extension this offseason.

In a rare lull, the Knicks have made progress that is well documented. By letting go of Mitchell, New York bought itself two years of no consequences, a year in which Brunson proved he was more than capable of playing the leading role. Instead of pining for a superstar, the Knicks discovered they might have had one all along in Brunson, around whom the team is now building.

Things will change dramatically this year, a year where the Knicks will have to set realistic goals and targets to achieve as they approach their final form. Losing in the second round will no longer be an easy feat in Manhattan. But the relative lack of expectations, partly brought on by not having Mitchell, has allowed the Knicks to build and develop in peace rather than immediately putting all the weight on a new superstar and watching things crash and burn through the worst enemy of all: the rock and hard place of mediocrity.

That stretch allowed for some potentially fatal moves for the Rose era: On paper, keeping Barrett and the since-departed Grimes in place of Mitchell seemed like a ridiculous move that received little justification, but Rose deftly recovered from his mistakes, trading Barrett for the game-changing addition of OG Anunoby before trading Grimes to Detroit in February.

While the Grimes deal didn’t pay immediate dividends, it ultimately turned one of the deal’s additions (Bojan Bogdanovic) into a potential championship contender along with Mikal Bridges as one of the major moves in the Knicks’ turbulent offense.

In hindsight, it’s easy to understand why the Knicks were so reluctant to embrace the so-called instant fix: After their impressive performance in the shortened 2020-21 campaign, the Knicks put their hope and faith in Charlotte/Boston star Kemba Walker.

If Brunson hadn’t broken through and called on all his Villanova buddies to help clean up, the Knicks might still be trying to dig themselves out of such an ugly mess. Figuring out how far Mitchell, a relatively young talent still racking up nine-figure contracts, could have taken them is an exercise no one was willing to undertake when Brunson was still a mystery box, one he effectively destroyed in two seasons.

Of course, the stubborn critics of modern basketball will likely only be able to grant the Knicks a victory if and when they hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Those willing to give New York a more nuanced analysis will acknowledge that the Knicks are much closer to that vaunted feat because of a shocking but understandable inactivity.

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