Monson: Let’s just say it — the Jazz have a star in Donovan Mitchell

[DelaneyRudd]

http://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2017/10/12/monson-lets-just-say-it-the-jazz-have-a-star-in-donovan-mitchell/

Some folks are sniffing around about it, sitting and waiting on it, poking and hinting at it, looking and hoping for it, so … why don’t we just come right out and say it?
The Jazz have themselves another star in the making.
They have a kid who has swooped into the front of the Wasatch at a time of doubt and need, after a painful period during which the place, just as it was feeling good about basketball again, had been deceived and, ultimately, deserted. And now, the young player with a distinctive name and a burgeoning game has arrived without yet completely arriving.

Ahhh, a little Jazz porn to give you all a happy little tingly feeling.

[Paper Face]

Just Monson trying to set himself up as an "OG".

[BarneyGumble]

This is Monson just hoping and praying like the rest of us! Nothing wrong with drinking a little kool-aid in the offseason. May this Kool-aid be sweeter than the Exum brand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BudTugly]

I don't quite get Snyder's reluctance to play him as a point. Thought he looked great doing it so far. Way better than the Burks experiment.

[DelaneyRudd]

I think the idea is to make him Wade like I guess. With Exum out it may work out for that.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

[pickIBL]

Some type of wade/bradley mold. If it actually happened that'd be insane.

[Daddy 801]

Locke keeps saying that the idea is he does become a PG eventually but they don't want to burden him with being in charge of initiating the offense and making him worried about getting everyone else involved in the game. That try slowly want to bring him along to PG duties but they want him to learn to play off ball first. I'm sure Locke is saying what he has heard in practice.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

[KqWIN]

I think we need to pump the brakes a bit. He is a tough shot maker, but as we've seen with Hood that isn't an easy way to get by. His shot selection is crazy and I don't think he can be an efficient player without some adjustments.

One of the biggest things that makes a star is the ability take advantage of the efficient parts of the court: Rim, FT, and 3 point line. The focus of his development should center around increasing his volume and efficiency from those areas. He hasn't proven to be have both high volume and efficiency from any of those areas yet.

[BudTugly]

Locke keeps saying that the idea is he does become a PG eventually but they don't want to burden him with being in charge of initiating the offense and making him worried about getting everyone else involved in the game. That try slowly want to bring him along to PG duties but they want him to learn to play off ball first. I'm sure Locke is saying what he has heard in practice.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

That makes sense but this situation reminds me a little of when Gobert hit the court and I was watching Kanter try to play Center.

Kid is night and day better than Neto and might be better than Ricky. Plus Burks will earn minutes at the 2.

[KqWIN]

I'll be the first one to say that positions don't matter, especially in our offense, but I don't like Mitchell bringing up the ball either. He's always in score/make a play mode, and it's better that he starts off the ball so the offense can get moving first.

[babyjax13]

I'll be the first one to say that positions don't matter, especially in our offense, but I don't like Mitchell bringing up the ball either. He's always in score/make a play mode, and it's better that he starts off the ball so the offense can get moving first.

I agree with you that positions don't matter. I think he gets himself into trouble right now when he initiates because he hasn't gotten the defense to move sometimes before he makes his move (the importance of passing). Alec is better at creating his own shots in those situations. But Mitchell looks really good, and I think those other skills will come along. To the person that mentioned the Alec "experiment", that IMO was largely due to Corbin's failure as a coach. You can't expect Alec to run the offense the same way Devin Harris and Moe Williams do. Quinn doesn't, Alec is a great as a 1 in our system (and would be in Dallas, too). I'm more comfortable with Alec getting backup minutes at the 1 right now, or playing Donovan next to Ingles where Ingles can create for him, and Donovan can benefit from Joe's shooting (and kick out on drives).

[tleikheen]

I'll be the first one to say that positions don't matter, especially in our offense, but I don't like Mitchell bringing up the ball either. He's always in score/make a play mode, and it's better that he starts off the ball so the offense can get moving first.

This is interesting here because Exum got sat down when he wanted/started looking for his offense last year instead of running Snyder's offense 1st.
Would Snyder allow Mitchell to free lance (look for his own shot) before initiating the Jazz offense after holding Exum back from doing the same thing.

[KqWIN]

I'll be the first one to say that positions don't matter, especially in our offense, but I don't like Mitchell bringing up the ball either. He's always in score/make a play mode, and it's better that he starts off the ball so the offense can get moving first.

This is interesting here because Exum got sat down when he wanted/started looking for his offense last year instead of running Snyder's offense 1st.
Would Snyder allow Mitchell to free lance (look for his own shot) before initiating the Jazz offense after holding Exum back from doing the same thing.

It's the same problem. The first pass needs to be make quick to get things moving. Exum, and now Mitchell, are prone to dribbling the ball too much and eating clock. That's a problem most young guards have.

They need to learn that if they move the ball quickly they are more likely to get it back later, and when they do they will be in a better position to score or make a play.

[tleikheen]

They need to learn that if they move the ball quickly they are more likely to get it back later, and when they do they will be in a better position to score or make a play.

This is the sadness of Exum's injury ....he got it and was initiating what Snyder had preached .He pushed the ball up ,passing and running and was getting all the scoring opportunities he wanted and looked damn good with Mitchell running with him.

I think you just let Mitchell do what he does best for now and not push running PG on him at this point of his very young career.

[SoCalJazzFan]

I'll be the first one to say that positions don't matter, especially in our offense, but I don't like Mitchell bringing up the ball either. He's always in score/make a play mode, and it's better that he starts off the ball so the offense can get moving first.

This is interesting here because Exum got sat down when he wanted/started looking for his offense last year instead of running Snyder's offense 1st.
Would Snyder allow Mitchell to free lance (look for his own shot) before initiating the Jazz offense after holding Exum back from doing the same thing.

It's the same problem. The first pass needs to be make quick to get things moving. Exum, and now Mitchell, are prone to dribbling the ball too much and eating clock. That's a problem most young guards have.

They need to learn that if they move the ball quickly they are more likely to get it back later, and when they do they will be in a better position to score or make a play.

There are also differences in that Mitchell has a better handle, is a better shooter and finisher at the rim than Exum was/has been, so there is more trust in Mitchell than Exum in the past. Agree, though, that there will be a learning curve and bumps along the way, but I think that the Jazz see that Mitchell has great potential and thus are willing to play him to develop him as quickly as possible.

Once again, I could see a Exum/Mitchell backcourt in the future where both are PG/SG hybrid types, which works for this offense.

[KqWIN]

This is interesting here because Exum got sat down when he wanted/started looking for his offense last year instead of running Snyder's offense 1st.
Would Snyder allow Mitchell to free lance (look for his own shot) before initiating the Jazz offense after holding Exum back from doing the same thing.

It's the same problem. The first pass needs to be make quick to get things moving. Exum, and now Mitchell, are prone to dribbling the ball too much and eating clock. That's a problem most young guards have.

They need to learn that if they move the ball quickly they are more likely to get it back later, and when they do they will be in a better position to score or make a play.

There are also differences in that Mitchell has a better handle, is a better shooter and finisher at the rim than Exum was/has been, so there is more trust in Mitchell than Exum in the past. Agree, though, that there will be a learning curve and bumps along the way, but I think that the Jazz see that Mitchell has great potential and thus are willing to play him to develop him as quickly as possible.

Once again, I could see a Exum/Mitchell backcourt in the future where both are PG/SG hybrid types, which works for this offense.

Agreed, though it sure looked like Exum had turned the corner. He looked great this summer and was making great decisions.

Mitchell is more erratic in his decisions than Exum ever has. He does have a better handle, but he makes more mistakes compare to Exum who played not to make a mistake often.

In short, they have different strengths and weaknesses, but together I think they'd make a great duo.

[SoCalJazzFan]

I hear what you're saying. I think that Exum has always been a PG, whereas Mitchell has been a shooting or combo guard. I think that Mitchell has the ability to become a pretty good PG, I just think that he doesn't have the mindset for it yet (looking to pass to others that are in a scoring position before looking to score for himself). I wouldn't say Westbrook is a pure PG either, yet he does just fine.

That Exum looked like he was turning the corner and starting to show what we have all been hoping to see over the last three years and then getting seriously injured, again, was a real blow to the gut.

[MTJazzv3]

I'm definitely on the hype train and grabbed a seat last July. Everything we saw in summer league is translating so far. No reason at all he won't be a rotation regular and I suspect closing lots of games. Top 3 rookie by the end of the season? More embrace the hype at the Dunk.
https://www.slcdunk.com/2017/10/12/16463286/the-downbeat-donovan-mitchell-utah-jazz-rookie

[KqWIN]

I'm definitely on the hype train and grabbed a seat last July. Everything we saw in summer league is translating so far. No reason at all he won't be a rotation regular and I suspect closing lots of games. Top 3 rookie by the end of the season? More embrace the hype at the Dunk.
https://www.slcdunk.com/2017/10/12/16463286/the-downbeat-donovan-mitchell-utah-jazz-rookie

5 years ago SLCDunk had an article saying, "It's absurd to pretend that Favors isn't already the greatest two-way post player the team has ever had." This was before Favors had even become a starter!

Good times I'm surprised they're still around, but good for them.

[Winglish]

I'm definitely on the hype train and grabbed a seat last July. Everything we saw in summer league is translating so far. No reason at all he won't be a rotation regular and I suspect closing lots of games. Top 3 rookie by the end of the season? More embrace the hype at the Dunk.
https://www.slcdunk.com/2017/10/12/16463286/the-downbeat-donovan-mitchell-utah-jazz-rookie

5 years ago SLCDunk had an article saying, "It's absurd to pretend that Favors isn't already the greatest two-way post player the team has ever had." This was before Favors had even become a starter!

Good times I'm surprised they're still around, but good for them.

My cousin used to write for SLC Dunk. Now he is an attorney. His basketball experience consisted of a nice Jr. Jazz career. He is a smart guy and has done well for himself, but a basketball expert? Not any more than any other fan who pays attention to the game.

Sent from my SM-G930T using RealGM mobile app