Donovan Mitchell: All-NBA First Teamer All-Star

[PIP]

There is no good combination for Mitchell until he ages into what Harden is now...

He's too talented to just be someone waiting on the perimeter to be set-up (needs the ball in hands to be most effective)--- he is an average passer (not point guard quality) and he's a short guard with a long wingspan who primarily relies on athleticism to dominate--- which is why I don't believe he will age into what Harden is now...

But, like an Iverson, you gotta roll with this dude cause he's just that good...

 

[buzzdog]

Toronto has demonstrated effective strategies and ability to take Donovan and to some degree Harden out of our offense. They're not the first to do it and they won't be the last. IMO Kenny and his staff have been failing to find effective ways to counter that.

It seems Kenny is leaving a lot of it up to Donovan and James to figure out themselves and that results in them falling back on their tried and not-so-true things like:

1) "dribbledribbledribble-attack the teeth of a triple team-throw up a prayer, hope for a whistle" method

2) the "throw ill-advised cross-court passed when they're jamming passing lanes" method

oh yeah, also the

3) "hoist a 36 foot 3 point shot" method.

Our optimal passing/ball movement/player movement/screening schemes are disrupted by talented and well conceived defenses, but IMO the answer is not to just give up on those things, but to do them harder and more precisely and effectively.

But no, I can guarantee we'll clear half the floor and ISO every time the game is on the line. And for me, that is the greatest argument against having a Donovan Mitchell and a James Harden on the team.

Those guys only seem to know one way and that way has numerous effective countermeasures to stop those attacks. They're going to have to either adapt/change (unlikely) or be simply be better in overcoming those defenses (shaky at best).

 

[Smooth]

I can't imagine an assistant coach is hard to replace? If Mitchell is so good we should keep him as our centerpiece, then he should have signicant trade value.

Bryant is easy to replace but is here because Mitchell is here…

 

[Smooth]

They moved Garland for Harden but Mitchell and Harden isn't a good combination either so?

And what’s the alternative?

I think you have to have serious conversations about committing long term to Mitchell but also think Koby and Dan are so far down this path their only choice is to keep going..

 

[bdc2014]

And what’s the alternative?

I think you have to have serious conversations about committing long term to Mitchell but also think Koby and Dan are so far down this path their only choice is to keep going..

Smooth always coming off the top rope with clarity.

We’re pot committed to this roster which is definitely good but maybe not great. We have a first hand lesson in Boston in the failures of trying to shave money to duck an apron. Guarantee they’d rather have had one of Jrue, Zinger or Al than a bunch of exceptions and the 27 pick.

The nature of the serious conversation with Mitchell and Harden will be about price and very much at the margins, not whether to do a deal with both.

 

[Visitor]

Bryant is easy to replace but is here because Mitchell is here…

I assumed that was implied, my point is that if we were to move Mitchell, moving on from Bryant is not difficult.

 

[Peacedog]

There is no way the Cavs should look to extend Mitchell this summer of they lose today. Deal him for the best combo of athletic wing(s) and picks you can snare and move on.

 

[*L-Train*]

There is no way the Cavs should look to extend Mitchell this summer of they lose today. Deal him for the best combo of athletic wing(s) and picks you can snare and move on.

Then we are a team with no go-to scorer, still missing some of their future first rounders and just good enough to win 30-35 games. In other words: in no man's land

 

[bushwick_bill]

And what’s the alternative?

I think you have to have serious conversations about committing long term to Mitchell but also think Koby and Dan are so far down this path their only choice is to keep going..

My alternative is Don—he needs to deliver a huge Game 7 at home, silence the critics, and carry them into the next round.

 

[bdc2014]

Considering Mitchell looks washed......things change.

Top 10-20 ish players swing a lot in the playoffs. Look across the aisle to Cade and PB (intermittent J). They’ve gone from disgustingly bad to transcendent a bunch of times

 

[Peacedog]

Then we are a team with no go-to scorer, still missing some of their future first rounders and just good enough to win 30-35 games. In other words: in no man's land

Not a chance we drop that far without Mitchell. Still a playoff team and if guys like Tyson, Ellis, CPJ, and Merrill keep improving, we'll be contenders.

I would retain Harden under this circumstance, at the right price.

 

[The Wizard of Moz]

Not a chance we drop that far without Mitchell. Still a playoff team and if guys like Tyson, Ellis, CPJ, and Merrill keep improving, we'll be contenders.

I would retain Harden under this circumstance, at the right price.

Harden isn’t sticking around without Mitchell

You lose both. I think 35 wins in that case is generous

 

[Visitor]

Harden isn’t sticking around without Mitchell

You lose both. I think 35 wins in that case is generous

we don't know what the return on Mitchell is, but 35 wins in year 1 post Mitchell is okay if there is a path. A path meaning a package of 1st round picks and young players who have some potential talent.

I don't expect this, but OKC fleeced the Clippers sending out a 29 yr old Paul George for SGA, Danilo Gallinari, 2021 first-round pick (via Miami), 2022 first-round pick, 2023 first-round pick (protected), 2024 first-round pick, 2026 first-round pick, and pick swaps in 2023 and 2025.

 

[catfish]

we don't know what the return on Mitchell is, but 35 wins in year 1 post Mitchell is okay if there is a path. A path meaning a package of 1st round picks and young players who have some potential talent.

I don't expect this, but OKC fleeced the Clippers sending out a 29 yr old Paul George for SGA, Danilo Gallinari, 2021 first-round pick (via Miami), 2022 first-round pick, 2023 first-round pick (protected), 2024 first-round pick, 2026 first-round pick, and pick swaps in 2023 and 2025.

For whatever reason I think NBA front offices have gotten smarter in the last 5 years.

 

[TLyons]

This is 3 years in a row Mitchell's body has broken down in the playoffs and the farthest we've made it is the second round.

Talks need to be had, I believe.

But right now he needs to find a way to at minimum have a great offensive game.