Donovan Mitchell thought Knicks would trade for him before Cavaliers deal

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Donovan Mitchell was thinking what everyone in the basketball world was thinking before he got traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers: He was headed to the New York Knicks. 

Instead, the Utah Jazz pulled off a trade that shocked the NBA, as the Cavaliers swooped in and landed the three-time All-Star guard. 

Speaking at his introductory news conference on Wednesday, Mitchell admitted that he thought New York, his hometown, was where he would be going at the end of the day. 

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Donovan Mitchell speaks during a press conference where he was introduced at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on Sept. 14, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio.  (Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

"For me, once Rudy [Gobert] got traded [to the Minnesota Timberwolves], I kinda saw the writing on the wall. I think we all did. I think we understood we had a good run. I kinda had a feeling I was going to get moved. Like I said, I thought it was New York," Mitchell explained. 

Mitchell said the thought of going back home, to be around his parents again, was intriguing.

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"I’m not going to lie to y’all," he said. "Who doesn’t want to be home next to their mom? I haven’t lived at home since I was in eighth grade. I’ve been in boarding school and what not, so it would’ve been nice. But for me, once I found out I got traded and what we’re going into, that trumped everything for me. I’m truly excited to be here, to be a part of this group, a part of this city."

The trade to the Cavaliers came after the Knicks set a deadline to either agree on a Mitchell deal with Utah, or they were going to extend former