Charlotte Hornets: 5 options for pick No. 11 in 2017 NBA Draft
4. Donovan Mitchell, PG/SG, Louisville
Is Donovan Mitchell a point guard? Is he a shooting guard? I’m not sure there’s a consensus just yet. He’s only 6’3″, but his skills suggest he’s more of a “3-and-D” guy rather than a point guard. His 6’10” wingspan should more than make up for what he lacks in height.
Mitchell played two seasons at Louisville, flourishing last season as their best wing player. Mitchell is an elite defensive player and took on an increased offensive role last season. He averaged 15.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game for the Cardinals in 2016-17.
Can a 6’3″ shooting guard thrive in today’s NBA? We’ll find out with Mitchell. He’ll likely be asked to guard both point guards and shooting guards at the next level, depending on which organization elects to take him and who he’s paired with in the backcourt.
Mitchell would pair well with a point guard large enough to guard shooting guards, leaving him to cause trouble for the opposing team’s point guard. Of course, the Hornets do not play a big point guard. A backcourt featuring Kemba Walker and Mitchell would be rather small in terms of height.
Still, if Mitchell is as good defensively as he was in college, his height won’t matter. Some think that Mitchell’s offensive potential is being overlooked. Chris Reichert wrote on that subject a few weeks ago at The Step Back:
"“While still a small sample size, Mitchell had 116 possession as the pick-and-roll ball hander last season for Louisville. This provides us with a primer of how he could perform at the next level, given that most offenses are predicated around the pick-and-roll. Not only will the point guard in the NBA utilize the pick-and-roll, but wings and off guards use side pick-and-rolls on a regular basis as well. Mitchell’s jumper is still improving, so his shooting numbers aren’t as impressive as one might hope for a lottery-level talent. When working off the dribble from a pick-and-roll scenario (and using the screen), Mitchell shot just 35 percent (14-of-40). He has great balance on his pull up jump shots, the mechanics are solid and his release is high. His main issue — not only on pick-and-roll situations — is his shot selection wandered at times, which created more difficult, and unnecessary, shots."
If Mitchell can be a creator and scorer in the pick-and-roll, he increases his value tremendously. I don’t think Mitchell will ever be a team’s primary creator, but if can become a secondary creator and a 12-15 points per game scorer that should be considered a success.
The Hornets need a shooting guard so that Nicolas Batum can slide down to small forward. Mitchell would be a great fit in Charlotte, but the question marks about his size and offensive upside may make the Hornets go in another direction.