NBA 5-on-5 - Does the trade for Donovan Mitchell make the Cleveland Cavaliers contenders in the East?

What is going on in Utah? Two months to the day after the Utah Jazz sent three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves, his former teammate Donovan Mitchell is on the move, as well.

The Cleveland Cavaliers acquired the three-time All-Star from the Jazz in exchange for forward Lauri Markkanen, rookie wing Ochai Agbaji, guard Collin Sexton, three unprotected first-round picks (2025, 2027 and 2029) and two pick swaps (2026 and 2028). Sexton will join the Jazz on a four-year, $72 million sign-and-trade deal, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

While the New York Knicks were the front-runner in the Mitchell sweepstakes, the Cavaliers stepped in on Monday night as the Knicks «temporarily walked away» from trade talks, according to Wojnarowski.

Mitchell will join a Cavaliers team that includes 2022 All-Stars Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen, along with Rookie of the Year runner-up Evan Mobley. Are the Cavs a contender now that Mitchell is in Cleveland?

Are the Knicks the biggest loser in the deal? What's next for Danny Ainge and the Jazz? Our insiders break down the implications of the deal between the Jazz and Cavs.

Tim Bontemps: The middle tier of the Eastern Conference. After putting the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers in some order at the top of the standings, there are now six teams — the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors and Cavaliers — fighting for five remaining playoff spots. The days of the «Leastern Conference» are long gone. And there will be a lot of ramifications moving forward, depending on who is able to live up to expectations.

Jamal Collier: Oh, Knicks. What happened here? New York seemed like the clear