Jalen Brunson's emergence as a superstar player for the New York Knicks is good news for the Cleveland Cavaliers in their attempt to keep Donovan Mitchell.

Per The Athletic's Fred Katz, the Knicks "would not be as enthusiastic" if Mitchell were to become available in a trade this offseason because they no longer have a need for a lead ball-dominant guard.

Mitchell's future in Cleveland will likely depend on whether or not he decides to sign an extension with the club this offseason. His current deal runs through next season and has a $37.1 million player option for 2025-26.

According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, the Cavs can offer Mitchell a four-year, $208 million extension this summer. ESPN's Brian Windhorst has said the team is "optimistic" it will be able to keep the five-time All-Star.

The Knicks were considered a prime suitor for Mitchell when the Utah Jazz were looking to trade the star guard. He was born in the city and grew up rooting for the Knicks.

After being traded to the Cavs in September 2022, Mitchell acknowledged it "would have been nice" to play for the team he cheered for as a kid.

"Who doesn't want to be home, next to their mom," he said. "I haven't lived at home since I was in the eighth grade and I went to boarding school, so it would have been nice."

Mitchell did emphasize he was "truly excited" to be in Cleveland, and "that trumped everything for me."

There is also no reason for the Knicks to prioritize Mitchell, other than the marquee value of his name. They had an incredibly successful season that was derailed largely because of injuries to several key players, including Brunson, during the postseason.

Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, Josh Hart and Julius Randle are among the key players under contract to the Knicks next season. OG Anunoby can become an unrestricted free agent if he opts out of his $19.9 million deal for 2024-25. Isaiah Hartenstein will be an unrestricted free agent.

Per ESPN's Bobby Marks, the Knicks could hit the tax apron if they sign both Anunoby and Hartenstein. It would be their first time in the luxury tax since the 2013-14 season.

There was a time when the Knicks made perfect sense for a player of Mitchell's name value and talent, but team president Leon Rose has done a terrific job over the past two years of building up the roster.

Brunson has emerged as a superstar during his two seasons with the Knicks. He finished fifth in MVP voting this season after averaging 28.7 points and 6.7 assists per game in 77 starts.