Charles Barkley praised the Knicks for showing restraint in the Donovan Mitchell trade talks, citing a dinner he had with Knicks senior VP William Wesley on Thursday.
Barkley told SiriusXM Radio that Jazz president Danny Ainge was trying to pull a New York City heist. It’s been reported Ainge initially asked for seven first round picks from the Knicks. The Post reported he eventually wanted four unprotected draft selections to send Mitchell to his hometown team.
Donovan Mitchell was traded to the CavaliersAP“I’m going to give you inside information,” Barkley said, before relaying his conversation with Wesley. “I asked why didn’t you make the trade. He said, ‘Oh man. Don’t go by the media stuff. They wanted my wife, my kids, my grandkids. I was not going to give them…we wanted the deal obviously but they were just trying to rip somebody off. We had to pass on it.’”
It should be noted Wesley, the former CAA liaison and backroom dealer, was front and center at Game 1 of the Jazz-Mavericks playoff game in Dallas with a Knicks contingent. Subsequently, an SNY report stated it rankled Jazz officials.
The Knicks were long considered the favorites to land Mitchell, 26, in a trade before the Cavaliers swooped in last week to acquire the All-Star guard. Cleveland sent Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, three unprotected first-round picks in 2025, 2027 and 2029 and two pick swaps in 2026 and 2028 back to the Jazz in the deal.
Before Mitchell was dealt to Cleveland, the Knicks signed emerging guard RJ Barrett to an extension that all but removed him from the trade talks with the Jazz.
Barkley said it’s unlike the Knicks to be patient.
William Wesley at the 2022 NBA Draft LotteryNBAE via Getty Images 
Charles Barkley at the 2022 NBA All-Star GameNBAE via Getty Images“I give them credit,” the TNT analyst said. “You can’t give away everything for a guy. I like Donovan. He’s a very good player and I like the deal for the Cavaliers. I don’t think they gave up anything special to get Donovan and will be a really good team and it’s going to be an exciting year in the NBA.”
