Report: ‘No one could say exactly why’ Tom Thibodeau listed Quentin Grimes as untouchable in Knicks talks for Donovan Mitchell

The New York Knicks spent a good chunk of the offseason pursuing former Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell via trade, but they were left disappointed when the Cleveland Cavaliers swooped in and landed the guard.

New York seemingly made some really solid offers for Mitchell, and the Knicks reportedly believe that their proposals centered around RJ Barrett and draft picks were better than the Cavs’ final package.

However, a player that Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau apparently made off limits in trades talks for Mitchell was Quentin Grimes. According to reporter Ric Bucher, it’s unclear why.

“There were reports that the Knicks, at one point, were willing to part with almost anyone except first-year shooting guard Quentin Grimes,” Bucher said. “Curious, right? … Now, I was told by several sources that Thibodeau was the one who didn’t want Grimes included. No one could say exactly why.”

Grimes had an encouraging rookie season, so it makes sense that Thibodeau values him. However, when it comes to potentially adding a player like Mitchell, some sacrifices have to be made. It’s interesting that this seemingly wasn’t a sacrifice New York was willing to make.

In the 2021-22 campaign, Grimes averaged 6.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 assist per contest. He knocked down 40.4 percent of his shots from the field and 38.1 percent of his shots from beyond the arc.

The youngster shot 36.6 percent from deep throughout his collegiate career, so the fact that he topped that mark in his rookie season at the NBA level was an extremely good sign.

After averaging 17.1 minutes per game last season, Grimes may take on a bigger role in the 2022-23 campaign. New York is clearly very high on the 22-year-old, and he’s likely motivated to show the world why that’s the case.

When it comes to the bigger picture for the Knicks, the team is looking to rebound this season after a disappointing 2021-22 campaign.

New York went 37-45 last season and missed the playoffs, which was considered a major disappointment by many since the squad was one of the league’s best stories in the 2020-21 season.