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Thats very true of his Jazz seasons but to be fair to him he was a lot better in Cleveland. He still wasn’t good and the effort wasn’t always there but he was a lot more engaged and mostly executed the scheme and tried some to get over screens. He is not in the Trae/Kyrie/Dame tier of small guard, his length lets him be pretty good when he wants to be.
He is a funny player. His entire draft profile + early summer league profile was great defender right away but might not be able to score. Yet in the league hes been the exact opposite.
Also while wingspan in theory helps more with defense, I’d argue height is more important on offense as it allows you to see over opponents to make the right reads.
I don’t think “seeing over opponents” helps when it literally only applies to jokic. Every other great passer has been perfectly able to read defenses without seeing over them. Even LeBron isn’t “see over opponents” tall. Cp3, Stockton, Nash, rondo, wall, Westbrook all did just fine despite being the smallest guy in most lineups
LeBron is still taller than the average NBA player, and more to the point if he is being blitzed off a pick and roll, there is usually bound to be one short defender.
The point guards you listed are exceptional passers (first three have a claim to top 10 pg all time lists), and I’d argue Westbrook at 6’6" would have a better assist/turnover ratio than what he does now.
I don’t think Mitchell is a natural passer and that combined with his short stature limits his ability in this area. I think a good comp for Mitchell (in terms of passing ability) would be Kawhi. If Kawhi was closer to 6’ rather than his listed 6’7", I think his assists/to would be similar to Mitchell.
For sure, it that’s an effort/technique issue, not a size one. Mitchell isn’t actually that small for a 2 defensively, he’s long and strong for his height. He’s just a bad defensive player.
I have ways thought height was such an odd way to measure a player. like a dude with a freakishly long neck might be 3 inches taller on paper. The league needs to switch away from height and instead go off standing reach and wingspan.
I also don’t think it does him any favors to be paired with guys like Garland and Old Mike Conley who have equally big defensive issues. Put him with a 3&D guard like KCP who can always take the more difficult backcourt assignment and Mitchell’s lackluster D isn’t costing the Nuggets the title any more than Murray’s did.
I’d rather be a 6’1" shooting guard with a 6’9" wingspan like Mitchell instead of a 6’4" shooting guard with a 6’3" wingspan like Desmond Bane.
Bane is 6’5 with a 6’4 wingspan
wow that changes everything. in shoes or barefoot?
wingspan is 7’2 in shoes, 7’6 if he borrows kd’s
10’ if he holds a couple frying pans
Except Mitchell doesn’t use his wingspan for defense, at all
Thats very true of his Jazz seasons but to be fair to him he was a lot better in Cleveland. He still wasn’t good and the effort wasn’t always there but he was a lot more engaged and mostly executed the scheme and tried some to get over screens. He is not in the Trae/Kyrie/Dame tier of small guard, his length lets him be pretty good when he wants to be.
He is a funny player. His entire draft profile + early summer league profile was great defender right away but might not be able to score. Yet in the league hes been the exact opposite.
Also while wingspan in theory helps more with defense, I’d argue height is more important on offense as it allows you to see over opponents to make the right reads.
I don’t think “seeing over opponents” helps when it literally only applies to jokic. Every other great passer has been perfectly able to read defenses without seeing over them. Even LeBron isn’t “see over opponents” tall. Cp3, Stockton, Nash, rondo, wall, Westbrook all did just fine despite being the smallest guy in most lineups
LeBron is still taller than the average NBA player, and more to the point if he is being blitzed off a pick and roll, there is usually bound to be one short defender.
The point guards you listed are exceptional passers (first three have a claim to top 10 pg all time lists), and I’d argue Westbrook at 6’6" would have a better assist/turnover ratio than what he does now.
I don’t think Mitchell is a natural passer and that combined with his short stature limits his ability in this area. I think a good comp for Mitchell (in terms of passing ability) would be Kawhi. If Kawhi was closer to 6’ rather than his listed 6’7", I think his assists/to would be similar to Mitchell.
For sure, it that’s an effort/technique issue, not a size one. Mitchell isn’t actually that small for a 2 defensively, he’s long and strong for his height. He’s just a bad defensive player.
I have ways thought height was such an odd way to measure a player. like a dude with a freakishly long neck might be 3 inches taller on paper. The league needs to switch away from height and instead go off standing reach and wingspan.
I mean i’m pretty sure thats what scouts use. Fans and casuals on the other hand.
I also don’t think it does him any favors to be paired with guys like Garland and Old Mike Conley who have equally big defensive issues. Put him with a 3&D guard like KCP who can always take the more difficult backcourt assignment and Mitchell’s lackluster D isn’t costing the Nuggets the title any more than Murray’s did.
Murray’s defense helped them win vs the Lakers and the Heat.