Charles Barkley makes claim about Knicks’ failed Donovan Mitchell pursuit

May 20, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Former NBA player and current TNT television personality Charles Barkley prior to game one of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs between the Atlanta Hawks and the Cleveland Cavaliers at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Charles Barkley is trying to correct the record regarding the New York Knicks’ failed attempt to trade for Donovan Mitchell.

In an appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio, Barkley said he had dinner with Knicks executive William Wesley, who told him that the reported asking price the Utah Jazz set was actually far lower than what the Knicks were quoted.

Charles Barkley gives us some inside info on why the Knicks didn't trade for Donovan Mitchell 👀@jumpshot8 | @darthamin pic.twitter.com/LlYnAVBAEZ

— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) September 9, 2022

I actually had this conversation last night with World Wide Wes at dinner,” Barkley said. “I said, Wes, why didn’t y’all make the trade? He says, ‘Oh man. Don’t go by the media stuff. [The Jazz] wanted my wife, my kids.’

“He says, ‘We wanted the deal, obviously,’ but he said, ‘They wanted my wife, they wanted my kids, they wanted my grandkids. They were just trying to rip somebody off.’ So he says, ‘Dude, we’re gonna have to pass on it.’ And I give those guys credit, because you can’t give away everything.”

This could, of course, be the Knicks saving face after failing to acquire Mitchell. Even if Barkley is accurately relaying the conversation, Wesley may not have fed him the correct information.

For what it’s worth, the Jazz ultimately traded Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, three unprotected first-round picks and two pick swaps.

There have been varying reports regarding why the Knicks fell short, from believing they had the better offer to underestimating how far the Cavaliers were willing to go to get the guard. Neither of those explanations line up perfectly with what Wesley is apparently arguing. All of them, however, might just be attempts to save face.